Transport dept set to blacklist vehicles over unpaid challans

Starting next week, vehicles in Delhi that rack up more than five unpaid challans pending for over 90 days will be "blacklisted" and their owners barred from selling them, purchasing insurance or renewing their pollution under-control (PUC) certificates, officials of the transport department said on Tuesday, outlining a move they hope will reduce the backlog of unpaid fines and improve traffic discipline.

- AIok KN Mishra

Owners will receive a 10-day notice before their vehicles are blacklisted, said transport officials aware of the plan.

The vehicles will be blacklisted on the Vahan portal and the department has requested the National Informatics Centre (NIC), which operates the portal, to automate the process on the software. Once all the fines are paid, the vehicle will be removed from the blacklist.

Transport commissioner Ashish Kundra said the decision was taken in consonance with an advisory the Union ministry of road transport and highways issued this April, urging states to impose such rules.

"The aim is to enforce traffic discipline among vehicle owners so that public spaces become safer and people are caused minimal inconvenience," said Kundra.