Telangana CM Revanth Reddy Proposes Auto-Debit of Traffic Fines, Calls for Tech-Driven Road Safety Overhaul

Hyderabad, Jan 2026 : Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday proposed a major reform in traffic enforcement by suggesting that penalties imposed for traffic violations be automatically debited from the bank accounts of vehicle owners. The Chief Minister said such a system would ensure strict compliance with traffic rules and eliminate delays and leniency in the collection of fines.

Addressing officials while launching the road safety campaign ‘Arrive Alive’, Revanth Reddy asked the Traffic Police Department to explore the possibility of linking vehicles with the bank accounts of their owners at the time of registration. Under this proposed mechanism, whenever a challan is issued for a traffic violation, the penalty amount would be directly deducted from the linked bank account, replacing the current system of manual fine collection.

The Chief Minister expressed concern that despite challans being issued for violations, offenders are often granted concessions or delays in payment, which weakens enforcement. “This practice must end. An auto-debit system will ensure accountability and discipline on the roads,” he said.

Revanth Reddy also called for strict action against minors driving vehicles and cases of drunken driving, describing them as serious threats to public safety. He directed officials to book cases against parents or guardians who allow minors to drive vehicles, especially when such negligence results in accidents. “Parents cannot escape responsibility when they knowingly put lives at risk,” he asserted.

Emphasising that road safety must be treated as a top priority, the Chief Minister urged officials to adopt strong preventive measures to reduce road accidents. He stressed the need for effective use of modern technology to regulate traffic and manage congestion, adding that stringent enforcement measures would be implemented in the future to ensure better traffic control.

Highlighting the growing complexity of traffic management, Revanth Reddy said that while law and order was once the primary concern, traffic regulation has now emerged as one of the biggest challenges facing urban administration. “Traffic management needs the highest priority. Special road safety measures should be implemented under the direct supervision of senior officers at the DGP and Additional DGP levels,” he said.

The Chief Minister underlined the importance of road safety awareness among students, strengthening traffic signal systems, and undertaking a comprehensive overhaul of the transport framework. He said accident prevention should become a core governance agenda, supported by clear procedures and, if required, a new legal framework to address emerging challenges.

Revanth Reddy revealed that the state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Google to improve traffic management through technology-driven solutions. He also called for the integration of CCTV cameras with the Command Control Centre and further strengthening traffic regulation using advanced surveillance and data-driven systems.

Expressing concern over alarming national statistics, the Chief Minister noted that one road accident occurs every minute in India, and one life is lost every three minutes. Both the Centre and the States, he said, agree that road safety education must begin at the student level to instil discipline and awareness from an early age.

He pointed out that many lives are lost even when individuals follow traffic rules, due to the negligence of others. “Road accidents caused by violations should be treated as avoidable deaths. Every such incident reflects a failure of enforcement and awareness,” he said.

Drawing parallels with earlier initiatives, Revanth Reddy recalled the creation of specialised systems to tackle cybercrime, drug abuse through the EAGLE Force, counter-intelligence operations, and the HYDRAA mechanism to prevent encroachments on lakes and tanks. “Similarly, we now need a dedicated and specialised system exclusively for traffic regulation,” he said.

The Chief Minister appreciated the Police Department for organising a focused road safety awareness programme and for preparing an action plan aimed at reducing accidents across the state.

The event was attended by Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, several public representatives, Home Department Principal Secretary C.V. Anand, Director General of Police B. Shivadhar Reddy, Hyderabad City Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar, and other senior officials.