Bhubaneswar, Sep 30: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has flagged instances of incorrect booking of traffic offences in Odisha, including cases in which two-wheelers were challaned for driving without seat belts and three- and four-wheelers were booked for helmet violations.
According to the CAG reports on “Development of Tourism in Coastal Zone in Odisha” and “Functioning of State Transport Authority and Regional Transport Offices in Odisha” for the year ended March 31, 2024, an analysis of VAHAN and e-Challan data for the period from 2019 to 2024 revealed several such instances.
The audit found that 2,988 cases of driving without a seat belt were booked against vehicles registered as two-wheelers. Fines amounting to Rs 29.88 lakh were imposed in these cases.
Similarly, 4,786 cases of not wearing a helmet were booked against vehicles registered as three- or four-wheelers, involving fines totalling Rs 47.86 lakh, the audit noted.
The CAG observed that such instances indicated a “casual approach” in the booking of traffic offences and pointed to inadequate validation controls in the VAHAN system. According to the audit, the absence of sufficient checks allowed challans to be generated for offences that were inconsistent with the registered category of the vehicle.
The audit also referred to provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the Odisha Motor Vehicles Rules concerning mandatory safety measures for vehicle users.
Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act, read with Rule 172 of the Odisha Motor Vehicles Rules, provides for the use of protective ISI-marked headgear by persons driving or riding motorcycles in public places.
The CAG also referred to provisions prescribing penalties for driving without a safety belt and for carrying passengers who are not wearing seat belts. The findings highlight the need for stronger validation mechanisms in digital traffic enforcement systems to reduce incorrect challans.
About the Author
