26 October,2026 04:14 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Raj Thackeray. File Pic
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Monday questioned the manner in which electronic traffic challans are being imposed, arguing that the focus should be on examining enforcement practices and addressing the broader problems affecting traffic management.
Addressing a gathering of transport workers in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, on October 26, Thackeray said he did not oppose the e-challan system but maintained that the way penalties are imposed needed scrutiny. He also warned that traffic congestion across the state could worsen significantly in the coming years if authorities failed to address gaps in urban planning and transport management.
In a post on X following the gathering, Thackeray linked the growing traffic problem to the increasing number of vehicles on the roads, the lack of adequate planning and the pressure placed on the police to manage the situation.
The MNS chief said he had repeatedly raised concerns about traffic congestion in his speeches and believed the situation could become more difficult to manage in the future.
"After seeing the traffic in this country, I can envision the present and future of this nation," he said, underlining the importance of transport infrastructure and traffic management in determining how cities function.
He criticised the approach of building flyovers and bridges without adequately considering how traffic would move through the surrounding areas. According to him, infrastructure projects alone would not resolve congestion unless they were supported by effective traffic management plans.
While addressing the issue of e-challans, Thackeray said his objection was not to the system itself but to the manner in which it was implemented. He called for an examination of how penalties were imposed, suggesting that enforcement practices should be assessed alongside the wider challenges faced by road users.
He also said he had instructed his drivers not to violate traffic signals, regardless of the urgency of a journey.
"Even with police protection, I have given strict instructions to all my drivers: no matter how much of a hurry there is, do not break signals," he said.
Thackeray argued that the responsibility for managing traffic should not fall disproportionately on the police when broader issues, including vehicle registrations, population growth and inadequate planning, remained unresolved.
"Every day, no one knows how many new vehicles are being registered, how many vehicles are hitting the roads, or where and how many people are coming to live. And in the end, the burden of all this falls on our police," he said.
Thackeray also raised concerns about Mumbai's dependence on its suburban railway network, asking how the city's roads would cope if local train services were to collapse and commuters were forced to travel in private vehicles.
"If tomorrow Mumbai's local trains collapse and everyone takes to the roads in their own vehicles, what will happen?" he asked.
He also questioned the emphasis on economic growth figures when basic urban management challenges remained unresolved.
"There is no planning for anything, and we just keep saying our GDP has reached 7.8 per cent. What's the use of that?" he said.
Thackeray concluded by saying that improving traffic discipline and addressing administrative shortcomings did not require complicated solutions, but rather the determination to implement necessary changes.
"Truth be told, I'm waiting to see when this Maharashtra will hand over power to me. Bringing discipline to all these things doesn't require rocket science - it just takes willpower," he said.
