Relief for vehicle owners with pending e-challans; Odisha govt plans to come up with OTS policy

In a major development, the Odisha government is planning to come up with a One Time Settlement policy for vehicle owners who have pending e-challans for Motor Vehicle (MV) Act violations in the State.

According to sources, a significant amount of unpaid fines worth around Rs 1215 crore has been accumulated over the past four years due to 29,77,718 e-challans issued for MV Act violations in the State. 

As a result, the Transport department has proposed to come up with the OTS plan, offering a one-time opportunity for vehicle owners to settle their dues at a reduced penalty. Meanwhile, the move by the Odisha government has been welcomed by vehicle owners, as it could significantly reduce the fine amounts.

However, Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena has said that once the fines are paid through OTS, strict enforcement measures will be implemented and future non-payment could lead to legal action, including court summons. 

Also Read: MV Act violation: Bus ferrying Baraatis fined Rs 3.70 lakh in Odisha

The government aims to resolve the pending fines within a specified timeframe, ensuring stricter compliance with traffic regulations in the future, Jena added.

“We need to implement OTS for the pending fines and our department is also planning for it. After the one time settlement, if some violate traffic rules then they will invite penalty along with court summons,” Jena said.

“There are many people who cannot pay the hefty fines. I welcome the move,” said Dhanurjaya Sethi, a resident of Cuttack.
As per the available data, a total of 56,81,993 e-challans were issued for traffic violations between 2020 and 2024. However, nearly 29,77,718 challans remain unpaid.

On the other hand, road safety activists have alleged that the Transport Department and Police primarily focused on slapping fines without enforcing the payment process effectively leading to such a situation. Besides, they have also alleged that many fines were issued unnecessarily.

Read More: New MV Act: Nightmare For Auto-Rickshaw Driver, Fined Rs 47K For Violations!

“I was fined for driving the vehicle at 65 kmph on a national highway. I paid Rs 7000 fine for the same. In total, I have paid Rs 10,000 fine,” said Subas Chandra Patra, a vehicle owner 

“The general public suffers due to the target set for traffic constables for issuing challans. If violators are punished, then the amount of pending fines and the number of e-challans will go down. In a welfare State, much focus should be given to ensuring safety to people, rather than imposing fines,” said Rabi Satpathy, a road safety activist.