Have ‘challan posts’ dwindled on social media?

Has Greater Chennai Traffic Police stopped issuing challans based on complaints on X? Browse through the official handle of GCTP @chennaitraffic and one would find no challan-related posts in the recent weeks. Challan is issued to levy a fine on a motorist after verifying the complaint posted by a user. This exercise builds trust among social media users about the traffic police taking action on their complaints, and also keeps the department informed about new concerns and issues faced by people. Shenoy Nagar resident Chinni Krishnan, who regularly posts complaints on X, says the handle @chennaitraffic has not posted any challan for close to 50 days now.

“They used to investigate and then issue challans. They acknowledge the tweet but then it goes all dark,” says Chinni.

The resident has posted multiple complaints about vehicles abandoned at the junction of 3rd Cross Street East and Pulla Avenue that pose a safety risk to both pedestrians and motorists. He says his complaints have not been acted upon.

The social media team of the traffic police say they post challans based on what they get from the traffic and planning wing of the department.

A senior official from the planning section says issuing challans is a continuous process and they will resume it soon. Once a user posts a complaint, their team has to investigate whether it is a violation or an action done unintentionally. They have to review it and then take action, says the official.

In June, GCTP had issued an advisory on fraudulent WhatsApp messages circulating using the GCTP logo as a display picture and sharing links that mimic traffic challan payments. It asked users not to click unless one is sure it is from an official source. Social media users wonder if the traffic police has been going slow on challans based on the fraudulent messages.