If you think you can blatantly violate traffic rules, and get away with it like you have been so far, then think again. Violators can no more escape the watchful eyes of the traffic police, who are all set to now deliver notices to the doorsteps of the offenders.
In a first of its kind system to rein in offenders in the city, the police have established a ‘Traffic Automation Centre’ within the precincts of the police commissioner’s office complex at Nazarbad. Revenue and District In-charge Minister V Sreenivas Prasad is expected to dedicate the Centre on Saturday (Sept 14).
The Centre, set up on the lines of Bangalore, will create a database of violators incorporating technology that will aid the authorities concerned to send notices to the owners (violators or non-violators) through post. The notices will be served subsequently soon after dedicating the Centre.
Bangalore model
Police Commissioner M A Saleem who was instrumental in devising the Centre in Bangalore, told Deccan Herald, the men on duty at junctions have been already provided with 20 digital cameras. Violations like helmetless riding, triple-riding, defective number plates and others will be captured on the camera. It will be later downloaded in the respective traffic stations thus helping to create a database at the server located at the Automation Centre. The Centre, linked with the data of regional transport offices (RTO) available at Bangalore, will help track the owner of the vehicle and his or her address by matching the number plate or the rider’s face captured on camera. The penalty can be either paid at the respective stations or at the Centre. In case of any contentions, the available photos will be used as evidence.
Initially, it has been thought of generating 800 notices per day, which is expected to be increased after receiving additional 20 cameras from Bangalore.
The Centre will be headed by an ASI cadre officer, assisted by three dedicated men on technical job, but from morning to evening hours.
In the existing set up, as many as 1,000 offenders are booked daily, with helmetless riding topping violations. Following the recent drive launched by the city police against helmetless riders, nearly 60,000 cases (Rs 60 lakh fine amount) are booked, besides other cases. Till August alone, the traffic police have realised the fine amount of Rs 2.7 crore.
The traffic automation Centre at Bangalore was opened during the tenure of Saleem as DCP (traffic) eight years ago in 2005. It has succeeded in checking violations, booking at least 10,000 cases per day.