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Traffic Rules and Traffic Violations in Chandigarh, Punjab

Q: Chandigarh Not to Slash Traffic Challans; Opts for Minimum Fine on Some

– December 5, 2019The Chandigarh administration has decided not to slash the steep traffic fines implemented through the new Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019. Instead, it has chosen for a minimum penalty in a few violations and has specified the fine for the same. A notification in this regard is expected to be issued soon. The New MV Act was implemented from 1 September 2019 which listed steeper fines for traffic violations to curb traffic violations in the country.

Team AckodriveApr 5, 2024

Serving as the capital of both Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh is the very first planned city of India. The city is famous for its quiet neighbourhoods and clean roads. Many people live in the city for their education or career purposes and want to experience smooth traffic during their everyday commute.

While the government of India decides Chandigarh traffic rules, the responsibility of imposing those rules falls on the Chandigarh Traffic Police. For every traffic violation, the police send an e-challan to the offender.

This article will help you understand how e-challan in Chandigarh works and how to pay your e-challan online.

Traffic Rules and Traffic Violations in Chandigarh, Punjab

How does the Traffic Police impose an e-challan in Chandigarh?

The Traffic Police uses the SMS service to impose the e-challan in Chandigarh. The Police Department has diligent officers and strategically placed CCTV cameras to overview traffic all across the city.

Offenders receive the Chandigarh traffic police challan to their registered contact numbers. The content of the SMS informs the violator about the type of traffic offence and the associated fine. Once a traffic offender receives an e-challan, they must pay the liable fine via offline or online method.

The latest Chandigarh traffic rules and regulations

To maintain a safe and smoothly running traffic, the government has imposed strict rules and regulations. Here are some of the major violations associated with Chandigarh traffic rules.

Driving beyond the speed limit

One of the common traffic violations in Chandigarh is overspeeding. The Police Department levies fines on any motor vehicle crossing the speed limit on the roads.

The penalty for the first time offender is Rs. 1,000 for both two-wheelers and Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) such as cars, jeeps, etc. But if the same offender is caught again, the subsequent offence fine is set to be Rs. 1,500 for two-wheelers and Rs. 2,000 for LMVs.

Invalid or no driving licence

The fine is heavy if a person drives a vehicle with an invalid Driving Licence (DL) or doesn’t possess a driving licence. The notified penalty for this offence is Rs. 5,000 for both the first and second violations.

However, if a person simply fails to provide a DL when demanded by a police officer, the fine is set to be Rs. 500. The subsequent fine for the same offence is Rs. 1,000.

Vehicles causing excessive pollution

There are set pollution standards every vehicle must fall under in Chandigarh. Any vehicle causing excessive pollution can attract a fine of Rs. 2,000 for the first-time offence. However, the fine for the second violation is Rs. 5,000.

Underage driver

Chandigarh Traffic Police is strict about underage driving. The legal age for a person to drive a motor vehicle is 18 years. In case an underage person is caught driving, the fine can go up to Rs. 25,000 as per the amendment made in The Motor Vehicles Act in 2019.

Along with the fine, the guardians/parents/vehicle owners will also be held liable and may face imprisonment up to 3 years. Moreover, the underage driver may have to face trial as per the Juvenile Justice Act.

Intoxicated driver

Drunken driving is penalised with a heavy fine and/or imprisonment in Chandigarh. The offence can attract a fine of up to Rs. 10,000 as well as 6 months of jail time.

Also, check: List of Rules for Traffic Violations in India

List of fines for e-challan in Chandigarh (Punjab/Haryana)

Below you can find the updated list of Chandigarh traffic police challan types and associated fines.

Traffic offence	First offence fine	Repeat offence fine
Driver not producing a DL when demanded by a police officer	Rs. 500	Rs. 1,000
Driving without a DL or with an expired DL	Rs. 5,000	Rs. 5,000
Unger age or minor driver without a DL	Rs. 25,000 (and/or court)	Rs. 25,000 (and/or court)
Learner driving violations	Rs. 500	Rs. 1,000
An unauthorised person driving a vehicle	Rs. 5,000	Rs. 5,000
Expired/no Registration Certificate	Two-wheeler: Rs. 3,000, Other vehicles: Rs. 5,000	Two-wheeler: Rs. 5,000, Other vehicles: Rs. 10,000
Road tax dues	Rs. 500	Rs. 1,000
Expired or no Third-party Insurance	Rs. 2,000	Rs. 4,000
Pollution standards violation	Rs. 2,000	Rs. 5,000
Dangerous driving	Rs. 5,000	Rs. 5,000
Use of a mobile phone while driving	Rs. 2,000	Rs. 10,000 (within first 3 years)
Driving beyond the speed limits	Two-wheeler: Rs. 1,000, LMVs: Rs. 1,000, Other vehicles: Rs. 2,000	Two-wheeler: Rs. 1,500, LMVs: Rs. 2,000, Other vehicles: Rs. 4,000
Drunken driving	Rs. 10,000 (and/or imprisonment)	Rs. 10,000 (and/or imprisonment)
Driving in a physically or mentally unfit condition	Rs. 500	Rs. 1,000
Not following mandatory on-road signs	Rs. 500	Rs. 1,000
Lane driving violations	Rs. 500	Rs. 1,000
Riding a two-wheeler motor vehicle without a helmet or turban	Rs. 1,000	Rs. 1,000
Pillion rider not wearing a helmet or turban	Rs. 1,000	Rs. 1,000
Three people riding on a two-wheeler	Rs. 1,000	Rs. 1,000
Four-wheeler driving not wearing a seatbelt	Rs. 1,000	Rs. 1,000
The front passenger on a four-wheeler not wearing a seatbelt	Rs. 1,000	Rs. 1,000
A vehicle with the wrong or no number plate	Two-wheeler: Rs. 3,000, Other vehicles: Rs. 5,000	Two-wheeler: Rs. 5,000, Other vehicles: Rs. 10,000

Disclaimer: The above-mentioned Chandigarh traffic challan and fines are subject to updates and changes based on the amendments made by the State or Central Government. You can check the website of Chandigarh Traffic Police to find all violations and associated penalties.

How to pay your e-challan in Chandigarh?

If you receive an e-challan Chandigarh, there are both offline and online ways to pay the fine.

Methods to pay e-challan offline in Chandigarh

Below are the methods you can follow for Chandigarh traffic police challan payment.

Method 1: Approach a Chandigarh traffic officer with an e-challan device. Give the officer your DL number, challan number or registration number to obtain the e-challan’s printed copy. Then, you can pay the required fine and get the receipt in return.
Method 2: You can visit the Chandigarh Traffic Police Headquarters to pay the fine in cash.
Method 3: Using the Chandigarh Traffic Police Headquarters’ address, you can send the challan payment via a pay order, cheque or demand draft.

Steps to pay e-challan online in Chandigarh

Following are the steps to follow for e-challan online payment in Chandigarh.

Step 1: Use your smartphone to access the Parivahan e-Challan website.
Step 2: Under ‘Check Online Services’, you can select ‘Check Challan Status’.
Step 3: Fill in your DL number, challan number or vehicle number.
Step 4: Type in the Captcha code given on the screen.
Step 5: Click on ‘Get Detail’ to see all information related to the e-challan.
Step 6: Select all the challans you want to make payment for.
Step 7: Provide payment details and confirm the payment.

How to check your traffic e-challan status online in Chandigarh?

You can use the Parivahan portal for traffic challan status enquiry in Chandigarh. The following steps will help you with the process.

Step 1: Visit the Parivahan e-Challan portal.
Step 2: Under ‘Check Online Services’, you can find the option called ‘Check Challan Status’.
Step 3: Give your DL number, challan number or vehicle number.
Step 4: Type in the given Captcha code on the screen.
Step 5: Click on the ‘Get Detail’ button.
Step 6: On the new screen, you can find all the information related to your challans.

Frequently asked questions

Below we have answered some of the commonly asked questions related to e-challans in Chandigarh.

What are the mandatory documents while driving in Chandigarh?

A person driving in Chandigarh must have the following vehicle documents.

Driving Licence (DL) must be valid
Registration Certificate (RC) must be valid
Insurance Certificate must be active
Emission Test Certificate
Road Tax Certificate

Drivers of commercial vehicles must also possess all the above-mentioned documents as well as the vehicle’s Fitness Certificate while driving in Chandigarh. One can carry the hard copies of these documents or provide the soft copy via the DigiLocker whenever asked by a police official.

What if I fail to pay my e-challan in Chandigarh on time?

The valid duration to pay an e-challan in Chandigarh after its issuance is 60 days. If you fail to make the challan payment within this time period, the following scenarios will arise.

An officer from the Traffic Police department will visit your home to collect the penalty amount.
If the officer doesn’t find anyone at the home address, the offender will be called for a court hearing.
If the offender doesn’t attend the court hearing, it will lead to the suspension of the licence.

Do I have to pay a fine if I forget to carry my DL while driving?

Every motor vehicle driver is expected to present their driving licence whenever demanded by a police official. You can carry the physical DL document or provide the online copy via DigiLocker.

If you fail to do so, the traffic officer holds the authority to give you a challan of Rs. 500 fine. Committing the same offence the second time will attract a penalty of Rs. 1,000.

Chandigarh Not to Slash Traffic Challans; Opts for Minimum Fine on Some

– December 5, 2019

The Chandigarh administration has decided not to slash the steep traffic fines implemented through the new Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019. Instead, it has chosen for a minimum penalty in a few violations and has specified the fine for the same. A notification in this regard is expected to be issued soon. The New MV Act was implemented from 1 September 2019 which listed steeper fines for traffic violations to curb traffic violations in the country.