If all goes as planned, motorists caught violating road rules will receive SMS alerts on their mobile phones. In an effort to improve the process of issuing traffic violation notices and increase efficiency in fine collection, the Bengaluru Traffic Police on Saturday launched the SMS service on a trial basis where notices will be issued digitally along with online payment options.
The pilot project has already started and the service will be implemented across the board based on its success, said traffic police officials.
Traffic personnel on duty are often armed with handheld devices that can capture violations such as motorists breaking signals, speeding, etc. The information of the motorist is then manually keyed into the device which generates a notice along with the proof of violation. The printed notices would then be mailed to the offender’s address under Section 133 of the Indian Motor Vehicle Act through the Postal Department. “The process is not only tedious but also expensive,” said B.R. Ravikanthe Gowda, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic).
On an average, the department generates 20,000 contactless notices per day. The cost per notice, including that of the paper, printing, and postal charge, is ₹4.5. Under the SMS system, the cost will be 20 paise per notice.
No time wastage
Another huge advantage of the SMS system is that it will be delivered to the right person. Often, vehicle owners shift houses without updating their address, but people rarely give up or change their mobile phone number. “Time is wasted trying to physically deliver the notice to their residences. In order to overcome all these hassles, the cost effective and quick SMS service has been launched,” Mr. Gowda added. He believes that this system will see a reduction in motorists violating road rules and increase awareness.
Real-time basis
Submitting a mobile phone number is mandatory at the time of registration of the vehicle. The Transport Department will share vehicle details and registered mobile numbers of the offenders with the traffic police on a real-time basis.
“With this facility, the traffic police can SMS notifications to the registered mobile number within seconds of the violation being recorded,” he added.
This service will also help owners know if their vehicle is being misused as the alert will come to them and not the driver.
