Yerwada Lok Adalat falls into chaos as citizens seek 50% waiver on traffic fines
While the traffic police regularly penalise motorists who violate traffic rules, many drivers neglect to pay their dues
A National Lok Adalat jointly organised by the district legal services authority and traffic department on Friday at Yerawada to help citizens clear pending traffic fines at a concessional rate fell into chaos as people queued up since midnight with many complaining of mismanagement.
While the traffic police regularly penalise motorists who violate traffic rules, many drivers neglect to pay their dues. The Lok Adalat was meant to make the payment of traffic fines easier however due to a 50% waiver on the fines, thousands of vehicle owners descended upon the venue, creating confusion and inconvenience. Long queues formed outside the Yerawada traffic branch from the previous night itself. Owners of two- and four- wheelers with small penalties as well as travel and tour companies with heavy fines were all seen waiting in the same serpentine queues. Despite the overwhelming response, the traffic police decided to issue tokens to only 200 citizens for the day, sparking anger among the public as citizens alleged poor management, lack of planning and incompetent staff that left them frustrated after hours of waiting.
Mangesh Mhasawde, who waited in queue since 4 am, said, “I stood in line for hours only to be told that tokens had already been distributed. If the authorities knew so many people were going to gather, why did they not arrange more counters with extended timings. This is very unfair to genuine citizens who came to pay.”
Another motorist, Sheetal Kenjale, said, “Everyone wants to clear their fines, but the management here was completely unprepared. People were standing in the heat for hours, some even since the night before. Instead of convenience, it turned into harassment.”
A senior traffic police officer on condition of anonymity said, “Our aim was to provide an opportunity for citizens to clear their dues at a concessional rate through the Lok Adalat. We did not anticipate such a massive rush, with people waiting since midnight. Due to limited staff and space, we restricted entry with tokens to maintain order. However, we have noted the grievances of the citizens and will improve planning and resources in future Lok Adalat drives.”
