KOCHI: Is a penalty only realised as a punishment when paid? Kerala has slapped motorists with traffic fines worth a staggering Rs 1,246.38 crore since 2023 — but more than 63% of that is still unpaid. In two-and-a-half years, the state has managed to collect only Rs 435.95 crore, leaving a massive Rs 792.43 crore in arrears, exposing glaring gaps in enforcement follow-up.
The state has issued a total of 1.40 crore challans since 2023. As per official records, around 91.59 lakh challans are pending disposal. Significantly, Kerala ranks third in the country for the number of e-challans issued for traffic violations, behind only Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, each with over seven crore e-challans. Kerala currently has around 1.85 crore registered vehicles.
Since 2015, over 3.64 crore traffic fines have been issued in the state, bringing in Rs 1,148 crore in revenue. The transport department has issued 1,53,68,075 challans, with traffic police sending out 2,10,41,589 challans in this period.
However, when it comes to actual revenue collection, Kerala slips to seventh place nationally. Enforcement surged in 2023 after artificial intelligence (AI)-powered cameras and other electronic surveillance tools were fully integrated into traffic monitoring. The average fine per challan in Kerala is around Rs 890.
According to the motor vehicle department, several factors slow down fine recovery. “Many people miss the challan SMS, often because they change their mobile numbers without updating them in the system, or simply ignore messages. Sometimes, the number on record belongs to a vehicle agent or a previous owner. There’s also confusion over whether the notice is real or fake,” said Transport Commissioner Nagaraju Chakilam.
“Challans left unpaid for 30 days are sent to a virtual court, requiring formal legal proceedings instead of a quick fine payment,” he added.
Yet, experts say the numbers don’t necessarily translate into safer roads.
‘We need more police officers on the ground’
“Relying mainly on cameras isn’t enough. We need more police officers physically present — at least one every 25 km on highways. Cameras can’t detect offences like road rage. Only when drivers fear police presence do they follow the rules,” said road safety expert Upendra Narayanan.
“The roads here are in poor shape. Even after paying taxes, tolls, and fines, motorists barely manage an average of 20 km/h. This kind of enforcement mostly squeezes ordinary people for revenue. Real road safety will come only when we have more trained officers on the ground, supported by modern vehicles and equipment,” he added.
stacking up
1.4 cr challans issued for traffic offences in state since 2023
91.6 lakh of the total challans issued are pending disposal, as per official records