Telangana CM moots auto debit for traffic challans, BJP calls plan 'hypocrisy'

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy says he has instructed the police not to grant any waivers to individuals who violate traffic rules and are issued challans.

• CM Revanth Reddy urges removal of traffic fine discounts for drunk driving cases
• Auto-debit system proposed for direct deduction of traffic fines from accounts
• BJP and BRS leaders criticize CM over privacy and selective demolition issues

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Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has called for the removal of traffic fine discounts in drunk driving cases and urged strict action against violators.

CM Reddy said that he has instructed the police not to grant any waivers to individuals who violate traffic rules and are issued challans.

He added that vehicles should be linked to their owners at the time of registration and that an auto-debit system should be introduced, under which the fine amount would be directly deducted from the vehicle owner's account in case of any traffic violation.

"Police have the responsibility to control people who are driving in a drunk condition, strict action should be taken against them. On rash driving, you impose challan and at the end of the year, you are waiving it off. With that, people think that the police will give a discount at the end of the year anyway and they take it easy,” said the CM.

According to him, police should link the vehicles with owners at the time of registration and should bring the auto debit system. “And if anyone commits any traffic violation, the amount should be directly deducted from the vehicle owner's account," said the CM.

Meanwhile, BJP hit out at the Chief Minister, saying "Congress' hypocrisy over privacy rights was exposed".

Earlier, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) criticised the ongoing Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRA) drive in Hyderabad, alleging that the state government is selectively demolishing houses of the poor while sparing illegal constructions linked to influential leaders.

Speaking to the media, KTR challenged Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to first act against alleged illegal buildings owned by senior Telangana Congress leaders, including Patnam Mahendar Reddy, KVP Ramachandar Rao, Vivek Venkat Swamy and Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, instead of targeting the homes of underprivileged people.

KTR also took a dig at MLAs who were elected on BRS tickets and later joined the Congress party. Making satirical remarks, he questioned their achievements after switching sides and cautioned that power is not permanent.