Mumbai’s mountain of unpaid traffic fines has crossed the ₹1,000 crore mark, exposing the growing challenge of enforcing compliance among millions of road users. Data obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) query reveals that from January 2020 to July 11, 2025, the city’s traffic police issued 3.2 crore e-challans worth ₹1,817 crore. Of this, only ₹817 crore has been recovered, leaving a backlog of ₹1,000 crore that continues to swell.
The RTI findings, shared by a Kalyan-based applicant, highlight that pending dues jumped sharply in July 2025 by ₹215 crore, up from ₹685 crore in 2023. Since April this year, 795 driving licences have been suspended for drunk driving, part of ongoing efforts to curb dangerous behaviour on city roads. In addition to e-challans, the traffic police employ deterrent tactics such as publicly posting the names of offenders and forwarding repeat violators’ licences to the transport department for suspension or cancellation. Between January 2024 and February 2025 alone, fines totalling ₹556 crore were imposed. During this period, motorists filed 1.8 lakh online complaints challenging their challans, but 1.07 lakh of these were dismissed after review.
Traffic police officials insist that while the backlog is high, annual recovery rates are improving. Recovery drives include deploying uniformed constables to the homes of top defaulters armed with photographic evidence, and requesting the transport commissioner’s office to withhold services like ownership transfers or fitness certificates until pending dues are cleared. Experts, however, warn that these measures alone are insufficient. A former senior traffic police official advocates the creation of special traffic courts to expedite non-payment cases. The proposed model would involve sending reminders within a week of violation, escalating non-compliance to court, and issuing summons or warrants for quick resolution—ideally within a month.
Over 80% of e-challan cases are said to be backed by clear photographic evidence, but experts acknowledge occasional wrongful issuance, which can be contested with the office of the additional director general of police (highways). Legal experts point out that the bulk of unpaid fines involve two-wheeler riders, particularly delivery personnel, many of whom cannot afford payment. This reality complicates large-scale recovery without substantial manpower. Amending the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, to streamline fine recovery is being suggested as a structural reform.
Transport veterans stress that enforcement must be supported by visible recovery for deterrence to work. They recommend a phased approach—raising awareness, following through with enforcement, and making recovery outcomes public—to build long-term compliance. With unpaid fines escalating at record pace, Mumbai’s traffic enforcement faces the dual challenge of closing revenue gaps and restoring discipline on its congested streets.
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