Chandigarh | Latest News
Having experienced a sharp fall in the last two years, Driving Licence Suspensions in Chandigarh showed a robust recovery in 2025, as the traffic agencies took renewed initiative to enhance road discipline and safety of people.
The official statistics provided by the Registering and Licensing Authority (RLA) indicates that the number of traffic offenders faced by the enforcement action rose considerably and the downward trend of the year 2023 and the year 2024 was reversed.
Suspensions Soar Two Years in Hideout
Driving Licence Suspensions in Chandigarh
In 2025, Chandigarh authorities suspended or cancelled 1,118 driving licences, a major rise compared to just 171 cases in 2024. The number had stood at 680 in 2023, making last year’s increase particularly noticeable.
Although the 2025 figures are still lower than the peak enforcement years—4,623 suspensions in 2020 and 4,057 in 2021—the data clearly indicates that traffic monitoring has regained momentum.
Between 2020 and 2025, a total of 11,753 licences were suspended or cancelled across the city.
Helmetless Riding Remains the Biggest Offence
Riding without a helmet is by far the major cause of licence suspension in Chandigarh.
In 2025 alone, the category of offences broken included:
- 425 cases of helmetless riding
- 233 cases of red-light jumping
- 161 cases of drunk driving
- 102 cases of triple riding
- 81 cases concerned dangerous or negligent driving.
According to the traffic officials, overspeeding, which was a major leading factor in causing suspensions, had comparatively fewer cases last year.
More Vehicles, More Drivers on City Roads
The increase in enforcement is also occurring when Chandigarh must contend with a continuous growth in the number of licensed drivers in Chandigarh.
Between 2020 and 2025, 96,676 driving licences were issued or renewed by the authorities. The largest new licence number was made in 2024 (18,962) and closely 18,408 in 2025.
There is also an increased amount of licence renewals reaching 39,288 in 2025, which is compared to 18,220 in 2020, and is also a clear indication that the population of drivers is growing.
Electric Vehicle Licence Numbers Still Limited
Although there is increasing attention to the use of electric mobility, a limited number of licences are transferred to e-rickshaws and e-carts in Chandigarh.
Instead, only 377 such licences were given in the past six years, with 227 in 2025 alone, indicating a slow move toward the other transport categories.
Government Raises Road Safety Hypocrisy
The officials in charge of traffic insist that the aim of the suspension of licences is not to punish, but to prevent.
The constant breaking of laws, especially drunken driving and helmet riding, are a big threat to the commuters and pedestrians. Police are of the view that there is a need to enforce the laws to ensure that accidents are minimized and more people adopt responsible driving habits.
It is also noted that regular monitoring and promptness in case processing will be among the priorities in the future.
This has an Implication on Urban Drivers
The sudden increase in the number of suspensions is a lesson that traffic laws in Chandigarh are once more being closely monitored. As the number of vehicles on the road and daily traffic congestion continue to rise, it is likely that the authorities will remain tough on the repeat offenders in the year 2026.
To motorists, the reasoning is simple and to the point- safer driving is no longer a choice, it is a necessity.