New Delhi: The city has recorded a nearly 35% rise in traffic violations by cabbies till June 20 this year compared with the corresponding period last year, with traffic police issuing more than 1.4 lakh on-the-spot challans — a sharp rise from just over 1 lakh in 2025.The issue has come under sharp focus after cops found out that the cabbie who allegedly abducted, raped and murdered a girl in Mehrauli two weeks ago had nearly a dozen cases of traffic violations against him.Sanjay Tyagi, joint commissioner of police (traffic), said the department has intensified enforcement drives and increased constant surveillance at hotspots across the city where violations by taxi drivers are frequent. The rise in the number of challans may also be attributed to these sharpened enforcement drives. The focus now is on repeat offenders, with stricter action being taken to improve compliance and road discipline while educating them about traffic rules.An analysis by the traffic department revealed that the majority of violations this year were related to improper and obstructive parking, with over 1 lakh challans issued under this category. Permit-related violations accounted for 9,933 challans, while jumping red lights emerged as another major offence, attracting 7,159 challans.Many cabbies, when caught violating traffic rules, often say they drive rashly as passengers insist on reaching their destinations quickly. Rohit Baluja, president of Institute of Road Traffic Education, said a growing pressure on cabbies to maximise their earning by completing as many trips as possible in a day often pushes them to flout traffic rules. “This race against time makes many of them flout traffic rules. For them, time is money. The moment one ride ends, they quickly pick up another,” he said, adding that poor maintenance of many taxis also increases the risk to passengers and commuters on the road.However, cops maintain that lack of proper training and awareness of traffic regulations among many of the drivers remains a major concern. Dinesh Gupta, additional commissioner of police (traffic), said the department has been conducting awareness campaigns and sensitisation drives to make the cabbies conscious of road safety and responsible driving.
