Online challaning yet to see the light of day

The city police have been facing problems in implementing online challaning systems in the city. It was slated to be launched on January 26.

Apart from some technical hitches, the miscreants were also stealing the batteries of these cameras while in a couple of incidents they also decamped with CCTV cameras at different chowks. Nevertheless, these were replaced with new ones by the company without any delay. The batteries were also being swapped with the new, said a traffic cop wishing not to be named.

The Punjab Government had announced to start the system of online -challaning of vehicles in four major cities, including the holy city, of the state. Apart from Amritsar, the project was likely to be launched in other three major cities — Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Mohali.

Initially the facility would be started from seven intersections where high-tech CCTVs are already working to check offenders. These are Sant Singh Sukha Singh (SSSS) Chowk, Lawrence Road Chowk, Crystal Chowk, Canal Office Chowk, Amandeep Hospital Chowk, Session Chowk and Ranjit Avenue T-point Chowk.

Around 1168 CCTV cameras were installed at 409 locations across the city. Aims to establish a state-of-the-art surveillance system the Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC) under which the cameras were installed started in October 2022 under Amritsar Smart City Limited project. The Rs 91 crore project includes 50 face detection cameras, 10 LED screens and a public alert system at 50 chowks. According to police sources, the cameras were yet to start recording of footages which is also leading to the delay.

Under the online challaning system if anybody violates the traffic norms such as jumping red light, crossing a zebra crossing, over-speeding, the high-tech CCTV cameras installed at the intersections would identify the offender by way of checking their registration number plate. The challan would be sent to the violator directly on his mobile or their home address by post just like in Chandigarh. Besides helping in identifying traffic violators, the CCTV cameras would be a great help in regulating traffic.

Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that there were some technical glitches. “I have scheduled a meeting to find out the updates on the project,” he said while adding the police would also take up matter with Improvement Trust which had hired the company for the project.