If you often ignore e-challan or delay paying toll tax, it is time to be careful. The central government is preparing to make major changes to the motor vehicle act, which could bring strict action against rule breakers. Under the proposed rules, vehicles owners with pending traffic challans or unpaid toll tax may not be allowed to drive on national highways. This means driver could face trouble directly on the road. The government is likely to announce these changes in the upcoming budget session of parliament, making compliance more important than ever.
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
According to a report, The ministry of road transport and highways is preparing to amend the motor vehicle act 1988. Under the proposed changes, enforcement agencies may get the power to stop vehicle at toll plazas if drivers try to avoid paying users charges, also known as toll tax. Officials believe that restricting access to the country’s nearly 45,428 kilometer toll road network will encourage motorists to follow the rules more strictly. The move aims to improve compliance and reduce revenue loss caused by toll tax evasion.
The government’s aim is not just to be strict but to improve the road safety across the country. According to official data, india has one of the highest number of road accidents and deaths in the world. Keeping this in mind, the government wants to change driving behavious and increase respect for traffic laws. A senior official said that the propsed amendment is not meant to create the pressure, but to encourage disciplined driving and timely payment of users fees. This step is also linked to the united nations goal of reducing road accidents deaths and injuries by half of 2030.
The recovery of e-challan has also become a major concern for the government. Between 2015-2025, nearly 40 crore e-challans were issued across the country, with a total value of around 61,000 crores. However, only a little more than one-third of this amount has been recovered so far. Due to this poor collection rate, the government is now considering stricter and more effective measures. the aim is to ensure better compliance with traffic rules and reduce losses caused by unpaid penalties.
On January20, the central government notifies the central motor vehicle (Second Amendment) Rules 2026. Under these rules, services like vehicle fitness certificate, insurance renewal, ownership transfer and national permits for commercial vehicles can be stopped if toll tax or fines remains unpaid.
