Motorists get 50 per cent relief on pending traffic fines in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): In a major relief to motorists, the Karnataka government announced a 50 per cent concession on all unpaid traffic e-challan fines, enabling vehicle owners to settle their pending dues at half the original amount.
Sharing the details on its official 'X' account, the Bengaluru Traffic Police on Friday said the order will be in effect from November 21 to December 12, 2025 and cases with pending fines can be settled by paying 50 per cent of the due amount.
"The State Government, through Government Order dated November 20, has issued an order granting a 50 per cent concession on fines in cases registered under traffic e-challan by the Police Department that remain unpaid," it stated.
According to police, payment can be made through the Karnataka State Police (KSP) app and also the BTP ASTraM app introduced by the Bangalore Traffic Division.
Payments can be paid by providing your vehicle registration number at the nearest traffic police station or at the Traffic Management Centre, it added.
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Karnataka Minister urges Centre to launch Bengaluru–Vijayapura express train
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Infrastructure Development Minister M B Patil has urged the Centre to launch an express train service between Bengaluru and Vijayapura.
The demand comes following the completion of the 9.60-km double-line railway work between Alamatti and Wandal, which has been open for traffic since March 25, the Minister's office said in a statement on Wednesday.
"He has written a letter regarding this on March 30 to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister V Somanna," it said.
In the letter, Patil stated that the Alamatti–Wandal section, part of the Gadag–Hotgi double-line project, has now been completed. During an earlier meeting, it was mentioned that once this work was finished, an express train between Bengaluru and Vijayapura could be introduced. He has now requested that this be given priority.
He highlighted that thousands of people from Vijayapura and Bagalkote districts travel daily to Bengaluru for education, healthcare, administrative work, and business, and this train service would greatly benefit them.
According to him, currently, the train journey between the two cities takes about 15 hours, which is inconvenient.
He stressed the need to reduce this travel time to around 10 hours.
The minister also requested that trains departing from Bengaluru be given a limited stops upto Hubballi, and that trains proceeding to Vijayapura should be routed via the Hubballi and Gadag bypass lines.
