Got caught by the traffic cop in Chennai? Now you can pay fine with Paytm

Traffic fines will soon go cashless. Cops will accept credit cards and online using SBI, or payment using QR code on e-challan e-seva centres for spot fines.

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The Chennai traffic police have introduced a new system of cashless fines in the city. Cash will not be taken for spot fine starting from Thursday.

Traffic offenders in the city can transfer the fine via debit or credit card against the issued e-challan. They can even use other online payment mechanisms including Paytm, SBI, QR code issued in the e-challan, go to Chennai corporation e-seva centres or courts and post offices, according to a DTnext report.

The cashless fining is reportedly the government's e-governance initiative to curb bribes taken by policemen. On average, a motorist breaking a traffic rule pays Rs 500 - Rs 1000 and there have reportedly been instances of bribes taken from motorists by traffic police, according to The Hindu.

Around 300 swiping machines will do the rounds in various parts of the city for those offenders who want to pay by credit card. As for debit card users, police say it will take some time to get the payment mechanism in place.

People who use debit cards may have to go to court to pay the fine now. Police will only issue a slip and the violators can choose their mode of payment i.e anything but cash, a senior police officer told DTnext.

In the future there are also plans to make the fining system completely contactless, where police will not even stop the offender to fine him/her, according to The Hindu. The CCTV cameras will capture they vehicle registration number and the challan will be sent to their homes after which they can pay using cashless methods, according to the report.

The cashless fining system current applies only to spot fines and not drunken driving which can be resolved only in court and need to be supported by medical documents.