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The push for updated contact details also comes as the government tightens rules around unpaid tolls, which, like pending e-challans, involve enforcement gaps and delayed recovery
Last month, the ministry proposed an amendment to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. Representational image
Existing driving licence holders and vehicle owners have been requested by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to update and confirm their mobile phone numbers through the Aadhaar authentication process.
This initiative accompanies a draft amendment aimed at addressing issues related to the non-payment of tolls due to FASTag problems.
This week, several users received SMS alerts from MoRTH urging them to update their mobile numbers via the Parivahan portal at parivahan.gov.in.
The message asks all vehicle owners to add, update, and confirm the mobile numbers for their registered vehicles through Aadhaar authentication.
A separate text was sent regarding driving licences, requesting all licence holders to update and confirm their mobile numbers through Aadhaar authentication.
Speaking to News18, a ministry official said, “This is a regular process. No new policy decision.”
Why the Message Was Sent
The message is part of MoRTH’s three-month awareness campaign encouraging citizens to update their mobile numbers, according to a document seen by News18.
In the July 2025 office memorandum, the ministry noted that many vehicle owners and DL holders have not updated their mobile details in the VAHAN and Sarathi databases.
“As a result, important service-related alerts, messages, and statutory notices are not reaching the intended recipients, hindering timely compliance and necessary action,” it reads.
To address this, the National Informatics Centre (NIC) has been instructed to implement changes across the Transport Portal and associated databases, ensuring secure storage and verification of mobile numbers along with accurate and timely dissemination of information.
While the ministry did not explicitly connect it, between January 2017 and March 2025, more than 32 crore challans were issued in the country.
Out of these, Rs 46,783 crore worth of challans were issued, but only Rs 17,939 crore were paid, leaving nearly Rs 30,000 crore pending.
The lack of communication channels makes it difficult for the ministry to hold people accountable.
A case is pending in the Supreme Court for the timely recovery of pending e-challans and to recommend the “one nation, one e-challan system” to streamline interstate enforcement and payments.
Pending Toll Payments
The push for updated contact details also comes as the government tightens rules around unpaid tolls, which, like pending e-challans, involve enforcement gaps and delayed recovery.
Last month, the ministry proposed an amendment to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.
The draft rules, issued on July 11 with a 30-day suggestion period, defined unpaid user fees as those not collected due to issues like a missing or non-functional FASTag—even if the vehicle’s passage was recorded electronically and an electronic notice issued.
The draft suggests that such vehicles will not be allowed to deposit vehicle tax, transfer registration, issue a no-objection certificate (NOC), or change registration series until the unpaid user fee is cleared.
“The insurer must verify this through the National Register of Motor Vehicles before issuing insurance,” the draft said.
It also stated that the renewal of the certificate of registration will be blocked until the unpaid user fee is paid.
Those not paying the fee will also not get a duplicate registration certificate until the unpaid user fee is cleared.
Although issued just days apart, a ministry official said they are connected because, for the rule change, MoRTH will need phone details to connect and issue e-notices to vehicle owners.
“If the draft amendments take effect, timely mobile number updates could become critical for vehicle owners, not only to receive e-challan and toll notices but also to avoid disruptions in essential services like registration renewal, insurance issuance, and ownership transfer,” the official told News18.
With challan recovery and toll enforcement set to go digital, a missed mobile update could soon mean more than just missed messages—it could affect your ability to drive or keep your vehicle on the road.
Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @nived…Read More
Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @nived… Read More
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