KOCHI : The AI-enabled cameras, which were switched on across the state last June, have detected a whopping 32 lakh traffic rule violations in less than six months.
According to data accessed from the motor vehicle department (MVD), a total of 32,88,657 challans were issued to motorists for violations caught on the 726 AI cameras installed across the state between June 5 and December 26, 2023. The data showed that an average 18,000 violations were detected by the cameras daily.
Seat belt rule violation topped the list, with a staggering 18.22 lakh motorists penalized for the offence during the period. Of these, around 8.92 lakh were instances of co-passengers not wearing seat belts. As many as 45,124 two-wheeler riders were charged for carrying more than stipulated number of passengers at a time.
The state government had launched the AI cameras with the hope that they would help bring down traffic violations and enhance road safety. However, the large number of violations poses questions on whether the cameras have had the desired impact.
An MVD official said the number of violations detected by the AI cameras has shown an upward trajectory. “Initially, if the AI cameras detected an average of nearly 10,000 violations daily, the number has now almost touched 20,000. Due to some technical glitches, 51 cameras are currently offline. Once they also go live, the number of violations detected is likely to go past 20,000 a day,” the official said.
At the same time, Transport Commissioner S Sreejith said the AI cameras have helped reduce the accident death rate in the state. “The number of road accidents remains unchanged. But the number of people losing lives in accidents has come down,” said Sreejith.
‘Of 32L challans issued, only half of offenders have remitted fine’
“The number of people admitted to the hospital with severe head injuries in accidents has declined. We are working hard to reduce the number of accidents. If people obey traffic rules, the number of accidents and deaths will come down,” said Sreejith.
However, a major cause of worry for the government is that the number of people remitting the fine amount is not on par with the violations.
“Out of the 32 lakh challans we issued, only around 50–60% of the offenders have remitted the fine. Since some people have registered vehicles using the agency’s phone number, they are not getting the challan. We are trying to sort out this issue. Steps have been taken to send physical challans to their addresses,” the commissioner added.
According to the data, taxes and other charges collected by the MVD touched `5,608 crore in 2023, a robust increase of nearly 18% from `4,753 crore registered in 2022. Out of this, nearly `200 crore is generated through compound fees.
B J Antony, a former senior deputy transport commissioner and an expert in road safety, said the government should take steps to resolve the grievances of motorists as well.
“There were several instances where a wrong person was charged for a violation that he or she didn’t commit. But each time, these people have to approach the RTO concerned to resolve the issue. It has to be resolved with the help of technology itself, or a special cell has to be constituted for this,” he said.
He added that technological advancements in road safety will help reduce accidents to a great extent.
“The number of vehicles on the road has doubled compared to previous years. But if we analyze the accident data, it remains the same. It’s all because of enforcement and other drives. If each violation is detected on the cameras, it will definitely come down,” he added.
KEEPING WATCH
AI-enabled cameras went live on June 5, 2023
Challans issued till December 6:32,88,657
Seat belt violations:18,22,186
Co-passenger seat belt violations:8,92,928
Triples ride on Two-wheelers: 45,124