Mubashir Alam Wani
Srinagar, Aug 16: The Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Kashmir has formally requested the Transport Commissioner of Jammu and Kashmir to equip local police in the remote areas of the region with electronic challan (e-challan) machines. This initiative aims to address the increasing traffic and transport violations in these far-flung areas, where enforcement has been challenging due to a lack of resources.
In a letter, the RTO Kashmir said there is a growing concern among communities in these regions regarding rampant traffic violations. The letter notes that these areas, including Uri Baramulla, are not adequately covered by Transport or Traffic Police enforcement teams on a daily basis due to a shortage of manpower.
During a recent visit to Uri Baramulla, the RTO Kashmir observed that both local police and residents raised concerns about the frequent traffic violations compromising road safety. The local executive police, despite their decentralised presence, have struggled to enforce traffic rules effectively because they lack the necessary resources, such as challan books and e-challan machines.
“This lack of resources severely impedes their ability to enforce traffic rules and issue fines efficiently,” the RTO’s letter states. To address this issue, the RTO Kashmir proposed that local police in Uri Baramulla and other remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir be equipped with e-challan machines.
The letter further explains that supervisory police officers, who are empowered under Rule 306 of the J&K Motor Vehicle Rules, have faced difficulties managing traffic violations effectively due to the absence of e-challan machines. This has made it challenging for them to issue fines swiftly and maintain accurate digital records of violations.
The RTO Kashmir believes that providing e-challan machines to the police in these areas would lead to more efficient, accurate, and transparent enforcement of traffic rules. The letter concludes with a request for the Transport Commissioner’s intervention to authorise the procurement and deployment of these machines.
“This initiative will not only empower the police to perform their duties more effectively but also contribute to the safety of the remote and hilly roads,” the letter states.
