Pune Traffic Police Pause Routine E-Challans Till August 31, Focus On Easing Congestion

Pune traffic police have been ordered to halt routine penal actions through e-challans until August 31, as they concentrate on alleviating traffic congestion and enhancing safety. Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar made this directive following an evaluation meeting. During this period, traffic officers are required to surrender their e-challan devices at the police headquarters, while only sub-inspectors and senior officers may retain them for dealing with severe violations, like heavy vehicles entering prohibited areas. However, enforcement via CCTV will continue.

The Commissioner has instructed personnel to stay at identified congestion points, especially during peak hours, and to discover the reasons behind traffic pile-ups. Officers are asked to review signal timings, spot fresh bottlenecks, remove vehicles parked on roadsides and corners, and prevent autorickshaws from obstructing intersections.

As monsoon season often leads to slower traffic movement and increased congestion, Kumar emphasized that the priority now should be to pinpoint the reasons for traffic jams and resolve them promptly instead of focusing on routine penal action.

A traffic police inspector, speaking anonymously, explained that this change would enable officers to dedicate more time to traffic management, which is often divided between regulating vehicles and enforcing regulations. "On a regular day, we must manage traffic while simultaneously searching for violations and issuing e-challans.

There are several violations daily, and attending to each takes time, which also results in traffic jams. With routine e-challan action paused, our immediate focus is on keeping junctions moving, addressing congestion, and preventing situations from escalating into major traffic jams," the inspector stated.

The Commissioner has ordered a fresh assessment of accident-prone areas and coordination with other agencies to reduce crashes. Additionally, around 200 recently recruited personnel will undergo training by the traffic branch, while heavy vehicles breaching entry restrictions will face enforcement.