PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The State Transport department issued 8,38,391 Challans, impounded 18,001 vehicles and collected Rs 62.22 crore in fines during the financial year 2025-26. The department claims that this marks a significant increase in enforcement actions compared to last year.
As per the data of the department, the number of Challans increased by 118.77 per cent, vehicle seizures rose by 41.04 per cent and fine collections grew by 37.07 per cent in 2025-26 over the financial year 2024-25, when 3,92,303 Challans were issued, 12,639 vehicles were impounded and Rs 45.29 crore was collected.
Officials stated that in compliance with the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 and related rules and regulations, enforcement actions are regularly carried out by the department to reduce road accidents and prevent tax evasion. Various enforcement teams have been deployed across the State, including 21 enforcement teams led by assistant divisional transport officers (Enforcement), 16 interceptor teams led by transport tax officers, 14 dynamic task forces and 30 bike squads led by transport sub-inspectors. These teams have been equipped with various enforcement tools, including speed radar guns for monitoring over-speeding, breath analysers for checking drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs, decibel metres for measuring noise pollution, tint metres for checking black film on vehicle windshields and body-worn cameras.
Officials further informed that high-tech Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras have been installed at various locations throughout the State to enhance road safety and facilitate electronic enforcement. In the financial year 2025-26, a total of 4,93,544 Challans related to road safety were issued through these ANPR cameras.
Additionally, the department implemented the e-Detection system in the State on January 19, 2026. Currently, e-Challans are being issued for violations such as non-valid fitness certificates for commercial vehicles, expired registration certificates for private vehicles and lack of insurance certificates. In the next phase, e-Challans will also cover non-valid permits and pollution control certificates. The e-Detection system is an advanced digital technology that monitors vehicle documents and traffic rule compliance without human intervention. This automated system reduces the possibility of human bias or illegal activities. In Uttarakhand, the system is currently operational through toll plazas located on national highways. If any document in the ‘Vahaan’ database is found to be invalid or expired, an e-Challan is automatically generated and an SMS is sent to the registered mobile number of the vehicle owner, detailing the Challan amount, type of violation, and providing a digital link for payment. Officials noted that around 20,000 Challans have been generated through this system in the last financial year.
Notably, in compliance with instructions from chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Transport minister Pradeep Batra, the State Transport department is continuously strengthening its enforcement efforts to improve road safety and reduce road accidents.
