In a move that could fundamentally change traffic enforcement in India, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has proposed an auto-debit system for traffic challans, aiming to curb repeat violations and bring greater discipline on roads.
Addressing officials on traffic management and road safety, the Chief Minister suggested that vehicles should be linked to a bank account at the time of registration. Under the proposed mechanism, whenever a traffic challan is issued, the fine amount would be automatically deducted from the linked bank account, removing the scope for delays, disputes, or non-payment.
CM Revanth Reddy made it clear that traffic policing should not be treated as a revenue-generating exercise. Instead, he urged the police to prioritise regulation, awareness, and public education, so that citizens voluntarily follow traffic rules. However, he took a firm stand on enforcement, stating that once a challan is issued, there should be no discounts or relaxations, as leniency weakens deterrence.
The proposal is being viewed as a technology-driven reform in traffic governance, designed to improve transparency, accountability, and efficiency. By reducing manual intervention, the system could also help minimise corruption and misuse of discretion.
Traffic and policy experts believe that if implemented, the auto-debit challan system could serve as a strong deterrent for habitual offenders, while making traffic enforcement smoother and more uniform across cities.
