The speed violating enforcement systems or cameras, that were installed by the Bangalore Traffic Police at several City traffic islands in 2008, have registered not less than 80,000 cases of overspeeding in several parts of the City.
Understanding the usefulness of the system, the traffic police plan to procure more such cameras and identify appropriate places where they can be installed.
Not only are the cases of violations caught on cameras pretty impressive, the traffic police have collected a fine amount of Rs two crores for jumping signals and overspeeding.
Metrolife spoke to the traffic police and ordinary people to understand why we need more such systems across the City.
The enforcement cameras, complete with sensors, will be embedded in the road surface. As soon as one jumps the signal, the sensors are rendered active and they turn on and the camera clicks the image of the violator red-handed. The violator and the vehicle with its number are literally snapped in the act.
According additional commissioner of police (traffic) B Dayananda, these cameras record every detail of the offender. “We hope to procure more such cameras. It’s useful because it not only automatically clicks the picture of the offender but zooms in on the offender in four different phases. This is an efficient way of employing technology in booking cases of violations in the City,” says Dayananda.
According to the statistics available with the traffic police, on cases of violations caught on camera the year 2008 registered 3,663 and the figures rose a little to 5,336 in 2009. It almost doubled to 11,000 in 2010, 2011 was no better with 24,000 cases and 2012 tops the list with 37,000 cases of overspeeding in the City.
At present, the enforcement cameras are placed at five major junctions in the City. There are two cameras en route to the Bangalore International Airport, two more at two prominent junctions on Hosur Road and one on Mysore Road.
“People are found overspeeding at these junctions which have also registered the maximum number of cases of signal jumping and overspeeding,” he adds. The system is capable of retrieving and storing violation and image data directly from the site. It can record offences 24 hours a day, seven days a week and there is no limit to the number of offences that it can capture red-handed.
The public hold mixed views about the installation of more enforcement cameras across the City.
While a few say that it will certainly instill a sense of fear among the motorists, others think it won’t make a difference at all. Vijay, a professional doesn’t think twice before comparing the management of Bangalore traffic to the scene abroad, “People abroad have a self-driven discipline which is clearly missing here. I am sure these cameras will instil discipline in the driving habits of the people,” says Vijay. Shradha, an employee with ANZ, says that as a woman driver, she often loses patience on the road when she finds people driving rashly.
“People don’t bother to look around when they overtake. It’s crazy driving on Bangalore roads. These cameras will do a lot of good,” she avers.
But Padamanabhan, a banker who drives from Kormangala to his workplace in the central part of the City says, “I don’t think more such enforcement cameras will make a difference. The police must manually register offences but I haven’t seen
that happening either”.
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