BENGALURU: Automation challans have been in existence since 2009. While it may sound fancy, with the Bengaluru police becoming more equipped with the latest technology, the automation fine collecting system has had no impact. Until September 30, 21,43,977 cases were registered under automation fines.
However,interestingly, only 56,22,000 were paid. This means on an average,Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) has been receiving `2 per case.While the total number of traffic violations stands at 61,73,920, the amount that the traffic police has received is `61,96,14,200. This averages to `100 per case.
P Harishekaran, the Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), was shocked to hear the statistics and said that since it has only been a week since he took charge, he will look into the matter.According to a traffic inspector, there is a flaw in the automation system where the violator's address could be wrong or changed while the challans continue to be posted there.
“Every station has one constable in charge to visit the address in case the violator does not pay their fines at the court. But if the address is wrong or changed, then if we were ever to catch them on the road, they will have to pay the fine there,” said the traffic inspector on condition of anonymity. “The system is automated until the challans reach the address.
After that, the system gets manual,” the inspector added.Ashish Verma, traffic and mobility expert, said that there are clear gaps in the system. He pointed out three flaws: Residents do not necessarily change the registration of the vehicle once it is sold; once the challan reaches the address, there is no mechanism to follow-up on that; and since BTP is dependent on the Regional Transport Office (RTO) on their database, only vehicles registered with a Karnataka or Bengaluru number plate are fined.
Despite Bengaluru being a cosmopolitan city, a majority of the residents are not included in this database. Ashish explained how, with the use of technology such flaws can be eliminated.“Technology will eliminate any subjective penalisation,corruption and manipulation from the violator or the traffic constable. Image
identification will identify the person and not the vehicle since that could belong to anybody. Enforcement on the updation of the address should be done. The RTO and the Traffic police must work together” he added.