The Mumbai traffic police on Tuesday launched a new system wherein traffic cameras will now keep an eye on traffic violators.
The Mumbai traffic police on Tuesday launched a new system wherein traffic cameras will now keep an eye on traffic violators. In the new system, 4,717 cameras will keep an eye on the city’s traffic and identify offenders, with those violating the law immediately receiving an e-challan via an SMS on their mobile phone.
Mumbai’s police commissioner, Dattatray Padsalgikar, inaugurated the e-challan system at the Traffic Police Headquarters in Worli. Speaking at the launch, he said that the installed cameras would do the job of traffic constables deputed for monitoring traffic. Mr Padsalgikar said: “With this system in place, any offender who breaks a law will immediately be caught in the act. The installed cameras will click an image of the offender and his vehicle, and a message will be immediately sent to the offender on his registered mobile number.”
Explaining the process, traffic personnel said that the cameras would stream all the footage live to the traffic police control room. Simultaneously, a team of police personnel will go through the footage and detect violations. “The cameras are of a superior quality and provide clean footage. This will allow the police to zoom in and get an unobstructed picture of the registration number of the vehicle whose driver is violating rules,” said an officer.
Once the image of the violation is captured, the police will initiate the process of issuing a challan. “The registration number of the violator’s vehicle will give us his mobile number details and an SMS will be sent to the owner with the challan,” said Milind Bharambe, joint commissioner of police, traffic.
Officials added that the SMS containing the e-challan would also have a link for the offender to pay the fine amount. “The violating motorists can click on the payment link, which will direct them to a payment site and enable them to pay their penalties online. They can use their debit and credit cards to make the payments,” said an officer.
Sources added that timely notifications would be issued if the violators did not pay their fines.
