PSCA launches online portal for e-challans

LAHORE: The Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) has launched an online portal for e-challans to facilitate the masses.

The citizens can now access the portal at echallan.psca.gop.pk. By entering in their vehicle registration number and CNIC, they can view and print e-challans, if any, issued to them. Since the beginning of the e-challan system on September 24, the PSCA has issued 87,000 e-challans so far and an amount of Rs11 million was deposited in the national exchequer.

During a press briefing at the PSCA office Qurban Lines on Saturday, Chief Operating Officer SSP Nasir Akbar Khan said the authority notified the Excise and Taxation Department about 9,000 vehicle records for correction so far. He said since September 23, over 1,000 vehicles have been blacklisted for displaying fake registration numbers and over 100 vehicles detained at police stations for further proceedings. More than 800 e-challans were sent to different cities across Punjab. The PSCA has also decided to include speeding and one-way violations in its e-challanning phase. The defaulters of e-challans would be apprehended through the ground teams and seized vehicles would only to be released after the settlement of the amount owed.

“We thank all the law-abiding citizens who made it possible for us to transform Lahore into a safe city for drivers and pedestrians. Citizens are advised to transfer the ownership within a month of sale or purchase of vehicles,” he said. “E-challans are sent on the addresses in the vehicle registration database of E&T.”

The PSCA had announced to launch the electronic challaning system from September 24.

Under the e-challaning system, the CCTV cameras to capture traffic violations were installed in different parts of the city. These cameras would capture violations and the tickets would be delivered at the house of the violator. Punjab Safe City Authority Lahore had started sending warning tickets to different violators a year ago.

In June 2016, Punjab DIG Traffic Farooq Mazhar had claimed that the system would be at par with international standards; like any other developed nation. Through it, an online record of violations of a driver would be maintained. An electronic device would calculate these points and issue violation tickets. He had also pointed out that every violation would have certain point penalties and authorities could cancel a driving licence for period of three months to two years.

Mazhar had explained that in case a violator does not pay the fine, he or she would not be able to get their documents updated. Every violation ticket carries the record of previous violation points which can also be updated online. A violator, on repeated cancellations of their licence, will be required to appear for a driving test and repay the fee. At this stage, classes for driving training and traffic rules awareness will be mandatory.

“The department sent a proposed draft to the law department for amendments to traffic police rules. The proposed draft will be presented before next the cabinet committee meeting for further proceedings,” he said.

Under the new system, if a death occurs during a road accident because of a traffic violation and police find the violator guilty during investigation, his or her licence would remain suspended for two years even if the violator reached an agreement of reconciliation with the aggrieved family.