Cops gear up to collect traffic fines by card

 Fines for traffic offences in the city can soon be paid through credit and debit cards. The traffic police are launching a digital payment system in two weeks, making Bengaluru the first city in India to offer a cashless option for fine payment.

They have already bought tablets, which they are customising and calling Smart Mobile Tablet Terminals (SMTT). “We are replacing Blackberry gadgets with SMTTs. They automatically print and generate enforcement receipts, and we can use them to click pictures of violations,” R Hithendra, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), told DH.

The traffic police introduced Blackberry devices in 2007-08. But the gadgets have gone out of vogue, and the department finds it difficult to fix hardware problems. About 650 tablets will soon be given to inspectors, sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors.

The department has allocated Rs 10 crore over five years for procurement of tablets, paper rolls, maintenance and replacement.

“We have given 75 SMTTs to traffic policemen in Central Business District on an experimental basis. We have noticed software-related problems which are being handled by experts. The process of integrating bank accounts is on,” Hithendra explained. Policemen will be trained before they are given the gadgets, he said.

Pay for past offences too

Traffic rule violators can now pay fines on the spot by cash. If they have no money on hand, they can pay later at any police station automation centre or BangaloreOne centre. With the new system, they can pay for current and past offences by credit or debit card.