Challan Checking Sounded Boring Until It Cost Me a Weekend

I am here to tell you that challan checking used to be the task of the paranoid. The kind that alphabetises their spice rack. The kind that reads terms and conditions for fun. Then came a notice for a signal I swear I never jumped

I was furious for an hour, all the while oddly energetic about how I would fix it all by lunch time. Then I was flat and quiet by evening, staring numbly at a fine for a road I had forgotten about. The kind of fine that comes when you are not prepared.

The thing about traffic fines is

A challan is applied to a vehicle number, not the person who drives it. So if the notice was sent to a previous mobile number, no one, even the previous owner finds out. In UP, challan check rajasthan, Gujarat and many more states, it's the same story. The camera registers the vehicle number and the system goes into action, chasing down the car like an old flame. So now I take a moment on the first of every month to check challan status. Five minutes and a number later, things have calmed down considerably. This, for me, is the kind of task that has no frills and no fuss.

What is it that I actually use?

After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, I found a portal that wasn't covered by a steep learning curve. Not that I have anything against learning curves, but I do find them impractical if I have a month to remember a five minute task. MyMotor was the aggregator I kept returning to (not that this is a competition) because it gets me exactly what I need with the bare minimum of effort. Using a single vehicle number, I get

• pending challans (with violation details and amounts due)
• RC information
• Insurance and PUC status
• FASTag balance

and a helpful EV charging station finder for the day I finally get an electric car

It works on a computer, and there is an app for when I forget to look at my car for a month and remember on the way to work. As well as the car, it remembers the bike as well and my current monthly mood.

The other thing about MyMotor.in is that

Some days, it notices a challan and I am right there to breathe deeply and remember that it is just a fine. Here's what to do next (in order of importance):

Take a deep breath. It is just money.

Check the details. Make sure it is all in order. Was the vehicle on that road?

Pay the fine and keep the receipt. If it is not an error on your part, you will need it.

If it has been sent to the wrong vehicle, it is better to contest the fine from the issuing authority.

The thing about the small habit that stuck

I am not a naturally tidy or organised person. My moods rule my life (and my ability to keep a diary). The only reason that I started and kept this habit is because it is a tiny task. It takes up five minutes of your day and does not require more concentration than you can spare on a bad day. You look at a number, click enter and go back to your life feeling like you have achieved something.

If you buy and sell vehicles or just have one to look after, I hope you can develop a small routine around checking challan status. It is a boring task, but less boring than going to the RTO on a weekend.