Patna: The Bihar Transport Department is set to organise a fresh round of ‘One-Time Settlement’ camps across all districts in September, allowing vehicle owners to resolve pending e-challan cases with a discount of up to 50% on the outstanding fine amount.
The camps are expected to run for at least three days and will focus exclusively on the settlement of pending traffic challans issued for various motor vehicle violations.
The move follows a similar initiative conducted during the National Lok Adalat on May 9, when around 20,000 vehicle owners benefited from the scheme. Department officials said the upcoming drive aims to reach a larger number of motorists and simplify the payment process.
Hearings Restricted to Issuing Districts
According to the Transport Department, e-challan cases will be heard only in the district where the challan was originally issued.
Vehicle owners seeking settlement will be required to appear before the Lok Adalat in the concerned district. Cases will not be entertained in any other district, even if the vehicle owner resides elsewhere.
Officials said awareness campaigns will be conducted before the September camps to inform the public about the district-specific hearing process and prevent inconvenience.
Revenue Collection Linked to Districts
The department stated that one of the key reasons for restricting hearings to the issuing district is the revenue collection system followed by the state government.
Each district is assigned specific revenue collection targets, and the challan amount is credited to the office of the District Transport Officer (DTO) in the district where the traffic violation occurred. Allowing settlements in other districts could complicate the accounting and revenue distribution process.
Relief for Pending Traffic Violations
Under the settlement scheme, motorists can clear pending e-challans by paying only 50% of the original fine amount, subject to Lok Adalat approval.
The benefit will apply to challans issued for common traffic violations, including riding without a helmet, not wearing a seatbelt, driving without valid insurance, and other breaches of traffic rules and notifications.
Transport Department officials said the initiative is intended to encourage compliance, reduce the backlog of pending challan cases, and facilitate quicker resolution of traffic-related penalties.
