Traffic Automation Centre Inaugurated- Motorists Violating Laws Monitored here
Mangaluru: The Traffic Automation Centre was inaugurated by DCP Traffic and Crime Hanumanthraya, along with DCP Law and order Shantharaju, ACP Tilakchandra, ACP Udaya Nayak, ACP Shruthi, Kadri East Police Inspector Maruti Naik, Joe D’souza- social worker and “Handy-Man” of Kadri East Police station, and other police personnel of various stations in the City. The Traffic Automation Centre which was earlier located at the North Police Station, but today (20 June) it was shifted to Kadri East Police station premises and was inaugurated here.
Addressing the media persons, DCP Hanumantaraya said, “Mangaluru City Traffic Police (MCTP) is now equipped with a ‘Traffic Automation Centre’, which will give every detail of the vehicles registered across the state at the touch of a button. The centre is being developed under Mangaluru Traffic Improvement Project (M-TRAC) on the lines of Bangalore Traffic Improvement Project (B-TRAC) and Mysuru Traffic Improvement Project (M-TRAC). The basic idea is to control and manage traffic and enforce traffic rules in the city that is bursting at the seams managing vehicular traffic density.”
“The centre will facilitate traffic police to maintain comprehensive records of all the registered vehicles across the state including the details of the owners. It will also give a list of offenses and violation registered against a particular vehicle. Presently 75 high-resolution CCTV cameras were installed- added to these we had nearly 50 cameras that were installed earlier-so totally we have around 125 CCTVs to keep an eye on the motorists, in the absence of police force. Few handheld devices which will be connected to the automation centre. When a traffic cop enters the registration number of any vehicle, the device displays the complete details of that particular vehicle. Any fine or violation against the vehicle is recorded in the centre server. “It will help us to reduce manpower and time to address the violation of traffic rules. If the violator fails to pay the prescribed fine, his offenses will be compounded with his earlier offenses. Apart from this, the centre will reduce the burden of police sourcing data from RTOs,” added DCP Hanumanthraya.
So all you motorists ignoring traffic laws BEWARE!- next time you are driving around talking on the phone, or not wearing seat belts or jumping a signal light or riding without a helmet- and you are doing it just because cops are not around- sorry, you are out of luck- there is somebody else watching you very closely and clearly- the CCTV Camera? Mangaluru City will be under hawk’s eye? With numerous complaints pouring in from callers through the weekly phone-in programme implemented by the traffic police department, the police decided to upgrade the M-Track management programme by installing these CCTV’s at 45 different areas where traffic problems are high.These CCTV cameras are fixed in all major junctions in the city for effective traffic maintenance and crime control.
With the daily increase in traffic violations by motorists like rash driving, two-wheeler riders without helmets, jumping signal lights, entering one way street, using mobile phones while driving/riding which is a safety hazard, using high beam/dazzling headlights, not wearing seat belts etc etc- the traffic police took this initiative to catch the violators from the footage of CCTV’s placed at traffic-intensive areas like Hampankatta Circle, Clock Tower Circle, Hamilton Circle (State Bank Circle), Mallikatte Circle, Nanthoor Circle, Bendore-well Circle, Jyothi Circle, Bunts Hostel Junction, Near Vas Bakery-Bendore, among other locations. These surveillance cameras installed at strategic places within the city have the potential of capturing footage of your careless action. Based on the CCTV footage, police department will undertake punitive action against violators.
Speaking to Team Mangalorean ACP Tilakchandra said “In the past regarding cases of traffic rule violations, CCTV footage have proved to be very important piece of evidence. Therefore, based on them, the action was initiated against rule breakers. Many commuters have complained to us about rash driving of city bus drivers, and that police are taking it easy on them. But the problem was that many a time since there was no proof resulted in no action taken against these city bus crew. But with these cameras, not only their violation will be recorded but a printout of the proof of violation will be mailed to the vehicle owners, which will help the police to stand in good stead in the court of law”, added ACP Tilakchandra.
During the occasion ACP Shruthi was congratulated by the media persons for being promoted as SP- Anti Corruption Bureau- she will take over the post soon. In conclusion, with the shortage of traffic police personnel in the department the assistance of cameras will be a boon for the police. The cameras will also help the police to find the traffic blocks and traffic violations as well. But on a final note, I only hope that these CCTV cameras will function well for all the money that has been spent- unlike our newly installed signal lights which are still “OUT OF ORDER” within a few days after they were put to use?.
ACP Uday Nayak, ACP Shruthi and other police officers were also present.
Also Read Related Article Below:
Smile, You Are On Camera! CCTV’s to Catch Motorists Breaking Laws
