Mumbai-Pune Expressway’s e-Challan System Under Fire: Rs 269 Cr Fines Issued, But Only 9% Recovered

Nearly a year after the launch of the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, the ambitious e-challan initiative is under severe criticism for its dismal recovery rate and alleged procedural lapses. Despite issuing traffic fines worth ₹269.47 crore since July 2024, only 9.33% of the amount has been recovered, triggering outrage from transporters and raising doubts about the system’s credibility.

Alarming Numbers, Poor Recovery

Launched on July 19, 2024, the ITMS flagged 17.07 lakh violations by March 2025, generating e-challans totalling ₹269.47 crore. However, only 1.51 lakh challans were actually paid, amounting to ₹25.17 crore—just 8.89% of cases, exposing the enforcement gap.

High-Tech Surveillance, Low Confidence

Installed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) in partnership with the Highway Police and Regional Transport Office (RTO) under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, the ITMS is equipped with:

• 40 gantries with ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras
• Weigh-in-motion sensors
• AVCC (Automatic Vehicle Classification and Counting)
• Speed and weather detectors
• Dynamic message boards
• A Command and Control Centre for real-time monitoring

While designed to penalize 17 traffic violations, most challans have been for overspeeding, lane indiscipline, seatbelt violations, mobile usage while driving, and wrong-side entry.

Highest Violations Month:

• November 2024: 2.81 lakh challans
• December 2024: 2.66 lakh
• January 2025: 2.56 lakh

But with many fines under dispute, questions over accuracy and legitimacy abound.

Violations in Law?

A Right to Information (RTI) query revealed that the system was rolled out without mandatory approvals, violating Rule 167 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. Device certification began only after the launch and was formally approved on July 16, 2024, allegedly without technical validation.

Payment Model Sparks Outrage

Proctech Solutions ITMS LLP, the firm operating the system, was incorporated only in December 2021 and has already been paid ₹57.94 crore for generating 8.84 lakh challans between July and December 2024. The company earns ₹654.90 per challan (₹555 fees + ₹99.90 GST). RTI data shows 18.25 lakh challans were generated during this period, but only 12 lakh were approved, with 6.25 lakh rejected during internal verification—further raising red flags.

Transporters Hit Back

The transport community has slammed the initiative, calling it profit-driven rather than safety-centric.

Harsh Kotak, member of Mumbai Bus Malak Sanghatana, said:

“Road safety has been outsourced to a private firm. This isn’t enforcement, it’s exploitation. Unjustified fines are strangling our industry.”

Baba Shinde, a senior transport leader, criticized the penalization of minor speed violations and said repeated complaints have gone unheard.

Importantly, the expressway excludes two- and three-wheelers, focusing entirely on cars, buses, trucks, trailers, and tankers—a critical freight and passenger route.

Growing Demands for Review

Industry voices and former officials are now urging the state to review the project thoroughly. Doubts over Proctech Solutions’ capabilities, coupled with the low fine recovery and questionable approval timeline, have made the project a lightning rod for controversy.