NEW DELHI: The government will fix a 60-day limit for violators of traffic and transport rules to pay the fine and dispose of the challan issued by law enforcement agencies under the amended motor vehicle law. If they fail to do so within the set time frame, the traffic police or transport department officials won't process anything related to the licence or vehicle registration, according to the draft rules issued by the transport ministry.

However, the transport authorities will be allowed to carry out transactions of applications relating to "permit, fitness and taxes" of the vehicle. "This means pending the challan, any services relating to registration and licences won't be allowed. We have made this provision considering that in many cases challans against vehicles and drivers have been pending for months and even for years. When we are going for full IT-based enforcement system you can't have indefinite period for people and the authorities to dispose off the cases," said a ministry official.

If a violator has kept his challan pending and is again caught flouting traffic rules, he will have to pay the higher fine imposed on repeat offenders. He added all these norms will be applicable for offences that are compoundable by paying fine at the spot or online.

Traffic experts said the violators would have to approach courts, if the enforcement agencies stop processing anything relating to the registration and licence. "Visiting court again and again would be prove to be a deterrent," said an official. He added that the new rules would focus on e-challaning through an online point of sale system and the agencies will be required to record the violations chronologically in the relevant portal on a regular basis for access by enforcement officers.

The draft rules have also specified six offences that would result in seizure of documents by traffic and transport department officials. These include driving a defective motor vehicle in any public place resulting in bodily injury or damage to property, driving vehicle which is violating safety, pollution and noise norms and driving of an uninsured vehicle or if the insurance has expired.

According to the proposed norms, the road construction and the maintenance agencies will need to follow the standards specified by expert agencies such as Indian Roads Congress .

