Panchkula is one of the districts of Haryana. It is one of the most well-planned cities in the state. Panchkula is popular for its natural and scenic beauty. Besides, it is also an ideal residential neighbourhood. 

The traffic in the area is fairly less compared to the rest of the state. Road administration of the city is looked after by two RTO offices. Both of them are strict with their jurisdictions. The RTO codes of both offices are HR-03 and HR-68. 

The different types of services offered by this RTO has been discussed in the underlying sections.

Various functions of RTO Panchkula are mentioned below:

• Ensuring proper enforcement of the rules and regulations mentioned in the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 and the Central Motor Vehicles Act 1989.

• Issuing No Objection Certificates or NOCs to transfer vehicle ownership.

• Conducting vehicle fitness tests and issuing fitness certificates.

• Conducting driving tests and issuing driving licences; to renew driving licence.

• Managing motor vehicle permits in order to facilitate the growth and development of road transportation. 

• Levying and collecting taxes in accordance with the Motor Vehicles Act 1989.

• Issuing tourist vehicle permits and permits for good carriages.

• Enforcing road safety methods in the transportation system.

There are different types of driving licence issued in Panchkula:

• Licence For Two-Wheelers

• Licence For Four-Wheelers

• Licence For Light Motor Vehicles For Commercial And Non-Transparent Purposes

• Licence For Heavy Passenger Motor Vehicles

• Licence for Heavy Goods Motor Vehicles

Different types of vehicle registration in Panchkula are as follows:

• Permanent Licence

• Temporary Licence

Registration charges for new vehicles under RTO are as follows:

• Charges for registration: ₹600 for every four-wheeler

• Hypothecation: ₹1500 for vehicles that are bought on loan

• Charges for changing of number plate: ₹230 to ₹400; charges are the same for High-Security Registration Plates or HSRP number plates. 

• Temporary Registration Charges: ₹1200 to ₹1500, temporary registration is valid for a month 

Road taxes in Panchkula are charged as per Haryana road tax rates. The charges are mentioned below:

• For two-wheelers weighing 90.37 kg and less: ₹150

• For two-wheelers priced ₹20000: 2% of its cost 

• For two-wheelers priced above ₹20000 up to ₹60000: 4% of its price 

• For two-wheelers priced more than ₹60000 but less than ₹200000: 6% of its price 

• For two-wheelers priced more than ₹200000: 8% of its cost 

• For four-wheelers’ price equivalent to ₹600000: 3% of its price 

• For four-wheelers ranging between ₹600000 and ₹1000000: 6% of its price 

• For four-wheelers ranging above ₹1000000 up to ₹20000000: 8% of its cost 

• For four-wheelers worth more than ₹20000000: 9% of its price 

• For 4-seater commercial vehicles: ₹600 quarterly 

• For commercial vehicles with 4 to 6 seats: ₹625 quarterly 

• For commercial vehicles with 7 to 12 seats: ₹1450 quarterly

Not following traffic rules makes vehicle owners subject to penalties. Charges for violating the different traffic rules are mentioned below:

• Charges for using a cell phone while driving: ₹100; ₹300 for repetitive offence

• Charges for driving over speed limit: ₹4000; ₹4000 for repetitive offence

• Charges for driving without a licence: ₹5000; ₹5000 for repetitive offence

• Charges for driving without wearing a seatbelt: ₹1000; ₹1000 for repetitive offence

• Charges for jumping the red light: ₹100; ₹300 for repetitive offence

• Charges for driving without a helmet: ₹1000; ₹1000 for repetitive offence

Yes, it is mandatory to have motor insurance while driving in Panchkula. Vehicles that run on the road without proper insurance make their owners liable to penalties. It could sometimes even lead to imprisonment.

Penalty charges for driving without proper insurance is ₹2000. For repeating the offence penalty charges increase to ₹4000.

As per a report, an accident between a scooter and a car in Panchkula resulted in the death of a student in class 10. The victim had visited the hospital with his uncle to hand over a bill. Both of them left the premises on a Honda Activa and later were hit by an overspeeding Toyota Fortuner. The accused stopped on the scene for some time but fled as the crowd started building. According to the police, the accused has been charged under Sections 279 and 304-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). 

Another report cited an accident which took place near Sector 12/14A in Panchkula causing the death of 2 people and injuring 1 other. The 3 victims were returning from their work on a bike that collided with a truck whose driver was driving negligently. After the accident, other drivers stopped by and informed the police and called for an ambulance. The truck driver fled the scene and is reportedly charged under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). 

A road safety drive was started by the traffic police in Panchkula in collaboration with the Road Safety Organisation. The participants of the campaign installed reflector tapes on small vehicles that included rickshaws and cycles. This campaign was started to increase awareness about following traffic signals, using reflector tapes, wearing a helmet and more road safety precautions.