Delhi Traffic Police issues over 1 lakh challans for wrong-side driving in 2026 so far

It is a grave and life-threatening offence that endangers innocent road users and severely disrupts traffic flow, a senior traffic police officer said.The officer added that legal action, including registration of criminal cases, seizure of vehicles and prosecution, would continue against offenders to deter dangerous driving behaviour in the city.

The Delhi Traffic Police has issued more than 1.09 lakh challans and registered 1,578 FIRs against motorists driving on the wrong side of roads in the national capital so far this year, reflecting a sharp escalation in enforcement measures aimed at curbing reckless driving and fatal road accidents.

According to official data of the Delhi Traffic Police available till May 24, a total of 1,09,240 challans and 88,060 traffic notices have been issued against violators, while 1,578 criminal cases have been registered for dangerous wrong-side driving.

The data also showed a steep rise in FIR registrations during May alone when special drives were carried out, with 1,392 cases being registered till May 24, compared to 172 in January, 10 in February, none in March and four in April. During the same period, 27,652 challans and 21,578 notices were issued in May.

The intensified crackdown comes amid a renewed enforcement strategy launched by Delhi Traffic Police in the last week of December to tackle the growing menace of wrong-side driving, which officials say has become a major cause of head-on collisions, traffic disruptions and fatal accidents on arterial roads.

On Sunday, the traffic police said it had registered 1,170 FIRs and impounded 1,179 vehicles during a special two-day enforcement drive conducted across the city on May 22 and 23. During the operation, 12,568 challans were issued against motorists found driving against the flow of traffic.

Police said wrong-side driving is now being treated as a criminal offence under Section 281 (rash driving) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, marking a significant shift from the earlier practice where such violations were largely dealt with through monetary fines and suspension of driving licences.

''Wrong-side driving is not merely a traffic violation. It is a grave and life-threatening offence that endangers innocent road users and severely disrupts traffic flow,'' a senior traffic police officer said.

The officer added that legal action, including registration of criminal cases, seizure of vehicles and prosecution, would continue against offenders to deter dangerous driving behaviour in the city.