Traffic Violators Beware: Punjab Govt to Keep an Eagle Eye on Violators with e-Challan from Jan 26

| | Chandigarh
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Traffic Violators Beware: Punjab Govt to Keep an Eagle Eye on Violators with e-Challan from Jan 26

Wednesday, 22 January 2025 | Monika Malik | Chandigarh

Punjab’s roads are about to come under the watchful gaze of technology, leaving no space for traffic violators to slip through the cracks. Starting January 26, the Punjab Government is set to launch an advanced e-challan system in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, and Mohali, ensuring that rule-breakers face swift, automated accountability. This isn’t just traffic enforcement — it’s a digital revolution in road safety.

 

Leveraging cutting-edge surveillance technology, Punjab is set to redefine road discipline with an invisible network of high-tech cameras monitoring every vehicle, ready to catch even the slightest breach of traffic laws.

 

This transformative initiative, which underwent successful trials in December, has already issued 452 e-challans in two months. Backed by an integrated command center, high-definition cameras, and automated systems, the program is aimed at eliminating common violations such as signal jumping, stop-line breaches, and riding without helmets. That is not all! Violations like driving without helmets, skipping seat belts, driving with incomplete documents, and even the absence of high-security number plates will no longer go unnoticed.

 

Under the new system, violators will receive their challans at their registered addresses, and the payment process is entirely online.

 

The backbone of this system is a robust network of cameras strategically placed at key intersections across the four cities. Picture sleek, high-definition PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) cameras, ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) systems, and bullet cameras — all silently perched at busy traffic junctions, capturing every move of vehicles on the road. Whether it's a rider zooming past without a helmet, a driver jumping a red light, or someone ignoring the stop line — the digital sentinels miss nothing.

 

One of the most ambitious aspects of this project is Amritsar’s Integrated Command and Control Center (ICCC), constructed at a staggering cost of Rs 92 crore. This high-tech hub is the nerve center of the operation. In Amritsar alone, 1,115 CCTV cameras have been installed across 409 strategic locations, including 50 facial recognition cameras, ensuring comprehensive monitoring. Inside, rows of glowing LED screens feed real-time footage of the holy city’s streets to trained personnel, providing unmatched oversight of traffic and security.

 

Breaking traffic rules in Punjab is no longer just a gamble — it’s a guaranteed loss. Under the new system, violators will receive e-challans at their registered addresses, and payments must be made online. Those who think they can ignore the fine are in for a rude awakening — failure to pay will result in their vehicle’s Registration Certificate (RC) being locked on the online portal. Without a valid RC, essential services like renewal or ownership transfer will be blocked until the dues are cleared.

 

“From January 26, we will enforce the system in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, and Mohali, and soon expand it across the State…This initiative is not just about penalties; it’s about ensuring safer roads and responsible driving,” said ADGP (Traffic) AS Rai.

 

In a state often plagued by chaotic traffic and lax rule enforcement, the e-challan system is a much-needed reform. The sheer scale of the technology deployed — ranging from face-detection cameras to public warning systems — is designed to instill a sense of accountability among road users.

 

Training sessions for police and municipal officers are already underway, ensuring the system runs like a well-oiled machine. Traffic cops will now shift from manual monitoring to a tech-supported approach, reducing human error and eliminating chances of bribery or evasion.

 

BOX

 PUNJAB’S E-CHALLAN SYSTEM

·         From January 26, system to roll out in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Mohali

·         E-challans to be sent to violators’ registered addresses

·         Online payment system

·         Non-payment of challans to result in RC locking, blocking vehicle services like renewal and ownership transfer

 

Violations Covered

Automated Monitoring

·         Red-light jumping 

·         Stop-line breaches 

·         Riding without helmets 

·         Skipping seat belts 

·         Absence of high-security number plates 

·         Driving without valid documents 

·         PTZ Cameras

·         ANPR Systems

·         Bullet Cameras

·         Real-time violation detection and recording

 

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