Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Amol Kolhe launched a scathing rebuke against the Mumbai Traffic Police, alleging harassment and dubious fine collection practices. The actor-parliamentarian’s outrage stemmed from being flagged down by a female traffic officer, resulting in an online payment demand for his vehicle, entangled with a substantial backlog of 15 pending e-challans totaling Rs 16,900.
Kolhe recounted the incident in a tweet, bringing attention to an apparent ‘order’ glimpsed on the officer’s mobile phone. The order suggested the collection of Rs 25,000 from a minimum of 20 vehicles, prompting Kolhe to question the priorities of the government and the traffic police, casting doubt on whether revenue recovery takes precedence over traffic regulation.
Expressing his astonishment, Kolhe said, “I experienced something very shocking. A lady police officer from the Mumbai Traffic Police stopped my car and asked to pay the fine online. While checking her mobile, I saw a message in the form of an order that said Rs 25,000 to be collected from at least 20 vehicles.” Kolhe criticized the government and traffic police, emphasizing, “There are 652 traffic junctions in Mumbai. 25,000×652 = Rs 1,63,00,000 per day, which is a whopping Rs 1.63 crore in Mumbai alone. What about other cities? If the concerned ministers or officials disclose, the public will know whether the traffic department is being used for recovery rather than traffic regulation.”
In response to Kolhe’s tweet, the Mumbai Traffic Police (MTP) revealed that his vehicle indeed had outstanding fines from 15 e-challans, amounting to Rs 16,900. The MTP clarified, “As part of our investigation, it was found that your vehicle with registration number MH14 FH – – – – has pending fines of Rs 16,900 from 15 e-challans issued between December 28, 2019, and October 2, 2023, on various roads in Maharashtra.”
They specified that 12 of these challans were for speeding. “Being a responsible public representative, we expect to obtain factual information from supervisory authorities before disseminating such a confusing message on social media,” added the Mumbai traffic police. The MTP defended their actions, disclosing that over 1.31 crore e-challans are pending in Mumbai, amassing fines exceeding Rs 685 crore since January 1, 2019. They underscored their weekend penalty collection drives as initiatives to reinforce traffic discipline and contribute funds for the government.