Nagaland rolls out e-challan system to end cash-based traffic enforcement

Cash transactions in traffic enforcement are set to end in Nagaland with the launch of the e-challan system, a digital platform aimed at improving transparency, accountability and road safety.

The service was officially launched on December 15 at the District Transport Office, Dimapur, by the Commissioner and Secretary of the Transport Department, Robert Longchari. The system enables traffic violations to be detected, recorded and penalised electronically, replacing the traditional paper-based challan process.

Addressing the gathering, Longchari said the shift to a digital enforcement mechanism would significantly reduce manipulation and bring greater efficiency to traffic management. He emphasised that the elimination of cash handling was a major step towards clean governance and citizen-friendly transport services.

He acknowledged the coordinated efforts of the Traffic Police, Home Department and the National Informatics Centre (NIC), stating that inter-departmental cooperation was essential for the successful rollout and enforcement of the system.

The commissioner said the e-challan platform would improve compliance with traffic rules by ensuring violations are systematically tracked, thereby encouraging responsible driving behaviour. He added that the government plans to expand the system to all districts and integrate automatic surveillance cameras to strengthen enforcement and data collection.

According to Longchari, the data generated through the platform would support evidence-based policymaking in the transport sector while also contributing to state revenue and advancing digital governance in line with the vision of “Viksit Nagaland”.

Delivering the keynote address, Senior Technical Director and State Informatics Officer, NIC, Lanusungkum Aier, traced the evolution of transport digitisation in India, beginning with the Sarathi and Vahan applications. He said the national e-challan system, introduced in 2015, is now operational in 33 states, with Nagaland becoming the 34th to adopt it.

Aier explained that the system, developed by the National Informatics Centre under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, operates through an Android-based mobile application and a web interface. It is designed in accordance with the Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Rules, 1989, and enables enforcement officers to issue electronically generated fine slips to traffic violators.

The launch marks a key step in modernising traffic enforcement in Nagaland, with authorities stressing the need for continued cooperation to ensure its effective implementation and long-term success.