New Delhi: To curb the millions of vehicles plying on roads across the country without valid third-party insurance, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is implementing a new and extremely strict system. Now, if you arrive at any petrol pump to refuel your car, bike, or any other vehicle, your vehicle’s insurance will be digitally verified along with the filling process. If your vehicle’s motor insurance has expired or is not valid, you will not need to be stopped by traffic police or RTO officials; instead, a hefty e-Challan will be sent directly to your registered address or mobile number under the e-Detection System.
This new system, developed under Digital India and Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), is designed to streamline the process of insurance claims received in case of road accidents and to crack down on those driving vehicles without documents.
How will this automatic e-detection system work at petrol pumps?
Cutting-edge technologies and a central database are being used to connect petrol pumps to this new testing system. The entire process will be automated, eliminating the time wasted by petrol pump workers or drivers:
Deployment of ANPR cameras: High-resolution Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras are being installed at the inlets of petrol pumps and near fuel dispensing units.
Real-time link with VAHAN and IRDAI portals: As soon as a vehicle stops for refuelling, the ANPR camera will scan its number plate and send the vehicle number to the central VAHAN database of the Ministry of Road Transport and the Information Consortium (IIB) portal of insurance regulator IRDAI.
Instant Matching and Alerts: Within just 2 to 3 seconds, the system will check whether the third-party insurance and PUC (Pollution Under Control Certificate) of the vehicle is valid or not.
Automatic Challan Generation: If the vehicle insurance is found expired in the database, the server will immediately generate an e-challan, the message of which will be sent to the registered mobile number of the vehicle owner.
How much will the fine be if caught without insurance?
Driving a vehicle without valid insurance on Indian roads is a serious and punishable offense under the Motor Vehicles Act. Under this new system, drivers caught will be subject to the following legal penalties:
First time violation: A hefty e-challan of Rs 2,000 or imprisonment up to 3 months (or both).
Repeated violation: E-challan of Rs 4,000.
In case of not having PUC: In case of not having pollution certificate, there is a provision of challan up to Rs 10,000.
Why was this new strict rule needed?
According to a report by insurance regulator IRDAI and the Ministry of Road Transport, more than 50 per cent of the total vehicles currently plying in India (especially two-wheelers) are running on the roads without any valid third-party insurance.
In the event of an accident, victims or their families are unable to receive any financial compensation (insurance claim) due to uninsured vehicles, causing them significant mental and financial hardship. To provide a permanent solution to this problem, it has been decided to use petrol pumps as digital tracking hubs, as every vehicle, large or small, has to go to a petrol pump to refuel.
Vehicle owners should do this immediately to avoid challan.
Drivers and owners should immediately update their documents before this new system is fully implemented:
Check Insurance Status: Quickly check your vehicle’s insurance expiry date by visiting the mParivahan app or Vahan portal.
Renew on time: If the insurance has expired, immediately renew your third-party or comprehensive insurance online or offline.
Ensure digital entry: While renewing insurance, ensure that your insurance company has updated its details on the central VAHAN database.
The introduction of this automated checking system at petrol pumps will not only curb fraud but will also make travel safer and insurance-secure for every citizen travelling on the roads.