Lucknow, July 3 -- The Uttar Pradesh transport department issued 4,48,633 e-challans amounting to Rs 2,489 crore in January, April, and May 2025. However, a significant portion-Rs 1,419 crore-remains unpaid, prompting the department to experiment with WhatsApp (WA) reminders for recovery. According to official data, challans worth Rs 1,070 crore have been collected so far. The highest number of violations were related to road safety breaches. As part of a new digital outreach initiative, the department has sent approximately 29,000 WhatsApp chatbot reminders to mobile numbers linked with multiple challans. The messages inform owners of their dues, urging timely payment. Transport commissioner BN Singh said the WA-based alert system is currently being run on a trial basis. "Once the ministry of road transport and highways completes API integration, the process will be fully automated, and all defaulters will receive regular reminders," he said....