India, March 27 -- As the state transport department plans to launch an artificial intelligence (AI)-based automated calling system across Maharashtra, beginning with Mumbai, motorists with unpaid e-challans may soon receive phone calls from the Regional Transport Offices (RTOs).

The purpose of the system is to contact vehicle owners who have failed to clear pending fines for traffic violations. The move comes amid a sharp rise in unpaid e-challans over the past six years.

Official data reveals that since the launch of the 'one state, one e-challan system' in 2019, authorities have issued 114 million challans amounting to Rs.7,272 crore. Of these, only 50 million challans, worth Rs.2,635 crore, have been paid. "The recovery rate of fine...