New Online System for Traffic Violations Expected to Reduce Offenses and Enhance Road Safety in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad
New Online System for Traffic Violations Expected to Reduce Offenses and Enhance Road Safety in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad
Pune is embracing a new era of digital efficiency when it comes to traffic violation cases. Starting Monday, all cases in Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, and Pune Rural will be filed entirely online, marking a significant shift towards a more streamlined process.
This new initiative, implemented through a dedicated portal on the district court’s website, aims to streamline the process and reduce the workload on law enforcement agencies. Not only will the city police be using this online platform, but also the Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, and the Highway Safety Patrol (HSP) responsible for the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and other highways will be using it.
Amrit Birajdar, the presiding magistrate of the Motor Vehicles Court in Shivaji Nagar, highlighted the key benefit of this new system: it eliminates the need for police and RTO officials to physically travel to the court to submit documents. This change is expected to save time and resources for all involved.
Birajdar explained that after a case is submitted online, the offender will receive an automatic notification to pay the fine within a specified time frame. If the fine is not paid by the deadline, the case will be taken to court, where the offender must attend in person and pay the fine according to the court’s decision.
The Motor Vehicles Court in Pune, established under the Motor Vehicles Act of 1939, is the sole court responsible for handling traffic violation cases across the entire district, which covers a vast area of 15,643 square kilometers. This court handles cases from various law enforcement agencies, including the police, Regional Transport Offices (RTOs), and the Highway Safety Patrol (HSP).
Despite efforts to clear the backlog, such as through Lok Adalats, the Motor Vehicles Court currently faces a significant challenge with nearly 1.3 lakh pending cases. This backlog has not significantly reduced, largely due to the increased enforcement of traffic regulations, leading to more cases being filed.
He mentioned that due to limited staff and a rising number of cases, law enforcement agencies required a more effective system. “After numerous discussions with Principal District and Sessions Judge Mahendra Mahajan, we came up with this online system to streamline the filing of cases and boost efficiency,” he explained.
To ensure a smooth transition to the new online system, training programs have been organized for officials responsible for filing cases. This will equip them with the necessary skills to navigate the new platform. The online system will also benefit lawyers, allowing them to submit legal documents like vakalatnama (authorization documents), phursis (court intimation), and adjournment requests electronically.
Pune’s traffic police, under the leadership of Additional Commissioner (East) Manoj Patil, issue approximately 1.1 lakh e-challans each month. A significant portion of these e-challans eventually lead to court cases due to non-payment of fines. Patil mentioned that the judiciary’s move to implement an online filing system will increase transparency, minimize redundant manual tasks, and boost overall efficiency in managing violations.
Despite the introduction of the online filing system, some serious traffic offenses like drunk driving, reckless driving, speeding, driving on the wrong side of the road, and operating commercial vehicles without permits will still require court appearances for paying fines.
Pimpri Chinchwad’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Bapu Bangar, supports the new system, calling it a time-saver and user-friendly for officers who used to have to go to court frequently.
“Bangar stated that the implementation of this system will strengthen enforcement, enhance traffic discipline, and significantly accelerate the resolution of pending cases in the coming months.” Authorities believe that this shift to digital case filing will not only benefit law enforcement but also encourage citizens to follow traffic rules. They hope this will lead to fewer traffic violations and safer roads in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad.
