Badge Of Dishonour: Over 2k Challans, Just 3 Vehicles

New Delhi: With 855, 637, and 596, respectively, to their names, three vehicles stand out among all else — not for their service, but for their disregard for traffic rules. So, if the number of challans pending against their name was a measure of success, these commercial vehicles would be at the top of the leaderboard.
The numbers emerged as Delhi Traffic Police mulled action against reckless drivers and habitual offenders in the city. It isn’t uncommon to see a vehicle — anything from a cab to a goods carrier — speeding away, zigzagging dangerously through lanes, leaving other motorists shaking their heads in annoyance. Among them, whether it’s the rush to complete one more trip or the pressure to deliver on time, small commercial vehicles frequently challenge the line between urgency and recklessness.
It isn’t very surprising that many vehicles are hauled up by traffic police, being booked in person on the spot or incriminated by the violation-spotting cameras. Most drivers, especially those of commercial vehicles, appear loath to take accountability for their actions. Among the notorious three at the top of the leaderboard of traffic rule violations, what is common to them is the recurring offence of speeding beyond the permitted limit. Leading the pack is a light motor vehicle — a private cab registered in Faridabad, Haryana. As many as 855 challans are pending against this vehicle, with 807 of these, or 94.3%, for speeding, followed by 43 for red light jumping, four for violating the stop line and one for improper parking.
The second highest offender is a private cab too, with 637 challans. Of these, 565, or 88.6% of the challans, are for speeding, followed by 59 for red light jumping, nine for violating stop lines and four for improper parking. The third is a goods carrier, with 596 challans pending against it — 590 for speeding and six for red light jumping.

Satya Vir Katara, additional commissioner of police (Traffic), said, “It was crucial to conduct this research and gather information on top offenders. It’s a concern that these drivers show such disregard for rules. A crackdown on the top offenders is on the table. Compiling this list was just the first step. Since these three vehicles are from outside the city, further measures are being planned. Personal accountability and discipline are fundamental to road safety. So, now we are considering strict action against frequent offenders, particularly commercial vehicles.” He added, “To address this, Delhi Traffic Police has denied entry into the city to vehicles involved in 122 accidents reported in Jan and Feb. We have also written to Delhi govt recommending revocation of licences of drivers who booked for three or more violations related to danger and drunken driving.”
Transport expert and ex-deputy commissioner of transport Anil Chhikara said stricter regulations were necessary to rein in reckless drivers who ignore surveillance cameras and other safety measures. He pointed out that many vehicles operated under contract, making it difficult for challan notices to reach the actual owners since some registrations are linked to fake addresses. He welcomed the traffic police’s plan to enforce stricter measures.
“The registration of habitual offenders should be cancelled,” said Chhikara, “and there should be imprisonment too.” He added that the traffic cops must be given more freedom, authority and guidelines to act against rule violators, especially speedsters since violating the speed limit was a core cause of accidents.