Delhi Govt Plans to Introduce One-Time Amnesty Scheme for Traffic Fines

As per the Times of India reports, the Delhi government is preparing to roll out a one-time amnesty scheme aimed at easing the burden of unpaid traffic challans. Under the plan, vehicle owners will be offered a steep waiver ranging between 50% and 70%, provided they clear their dues within a limited period.

Scheme Details and Eligibility

As per news reports, the proposal was discussed in a high-level meeting and is expected to be implemented in the coming months. The scheme will allow violators a 2 to 3-month window to settle outstanding fines at reduced rates. Designed to address the mounting backlog of unpaid challans, the initiative will cover both traffic and transport violations.

Non-serious offences such as failure to produce a valid Pollution Under Control certificate, wrong-side driving, overloading, helmetless riding, jumping red lights and speeding are expected to qualify. 

However, serious breaches, including drunk driving, unauthorised driving, and driving without a valid licence, will remain outside the scope of the waiver. This would be a one-time relaxation and urged motorists to make use of the opportunity, warning that tougher measures like registration cancellation could follow.

Enforcement Challenges and Backlog

As per news reports, the programme also aims to reduce court caseloads linked to long-pending challans and to encourage better compliance going forward. Current enforcement relies on a mobile application used by police and transport teams to log violations, followed by text alerts sent directly to offenders. Payments can be processed online through the designated portal.

Despite these digital measures, many violators postpone clearing their dues, often waiting for Lok Adalat sessions where fines are commonly lowered. The absence of interest or late-payment penalties has further discouraged timely compliance, adding to the city’s mounting backlog.

Scale of Violations in Delhi

Delhi’s traffic enforcement data highlights the scale of the problem. Obstructive parking alone accounts for 419,230 challans. Driving without a licence has crossed 200,000 cases, while failure to maintain a Pollution Under Control certificate has led to 373,197 penalties. Helmetless two-wheeler riders account for another 259,123 challans.

Read More: CarTrade Tech Sees 25% Surge in Traffic After GST Cut on Vehicles!

Conclusion

By offering partial waivers on outstanding dues, the amnesty scheme is intended to deliver relief to vehicle owners while unclogging courts and improving payment discipline. With lakhs of pending challans and widespread violations, the initiative could mark a turning point in how Delhi tackles enforcement and compliance, though its success will depend on how citizens respond to this one-time window of relief.

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