Chandigarh recorded over 18 lakh red light violations in 15 months; nearly 4 lakh of them were in first 3 months of 2024

According to the details provided by Chandigarh Smart City Limited, 3,93,525 violations have been recorded this year till March 31 of which, on spot challans were issued in 1.15 lakh cases.

According to the details provided by Chandigarh Smart City Limited, 3,93,525 violations have been recorded this year till March 31 of which, on spot challans were issued in 1.15 lakh cases. (Express file photo)

In just 15 months, Chandigarh has recorded over 18 lakh instances of jumping the red light. Of these, as many as 3.93 lakh violations were captured by the cameras in just the first three months, January 1 to March 31, of 2024, showed figures.

According to the details provided by Chandigarh Smart City Limited, 3,93,525 violations have been recorded this year till March 31 of which, on spot challans were issued in 1.15 lakh cases.

Apart from jumping the red light, 66,337 cases were filed under the speeding category in the first three months. Of the total cases, 58,910 challans have been issued till now.

When asked about the difference between the number of violations detected and the challans issued, a senior traffic police officer while speaking to The Indian Express said, “Once the camera detects the violations for us, we verify each of them and then challans are issued. However, some vehicles are exempted from challans such as fire tenders and ambulances who jump red signals for emergencies. But the software is unable to recognise them as emergency vehicles. Thus the need for verification.”

In these three months, as many as 1,22,016 violations of stop lines have also been noted.

Last year, from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023, 14,01,441 violations of the red light were recorded while 2,24,158 violations of over speeding were clocked in Chandigarh. Of the total number of over speeding cases, challans were issued in 1,91,627 cases last year.

From February 2022 to February 2023, as many as 5,47,900 challans were issued to people for violating the traffic rules.

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There are 900 CCTV cameras that have been installed at various locations throughout Chandigarh for surveillance. These cameras are monitored through the Command and Control Centre.

Around 285 different locations in the city are being monitored on a real-time basis by these advanced cameras. The locations include intersections, government schools, entry and exit points, water treatment facilities, parking lots, hospital entrances, gardens etc.

The administration boasts that the CCTV surveillance system has assisted the police in solving more than 500 crime cases as well which include cases like murder, snatching, road accident, hit and run, motor vehicle theft, burglary etc.

Chandigarh began surveillance in 2022

In 2022, the ICCC building was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. It was stated that this command control surveillance system will help in making people traffic discipline and check all traffic violations which were being done manually prior to this.

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According to the officials, this command centre was to act as the brain of the city with an on-premise data centre hosting relevant solutions for all following field systems and data analytics tools for informative decision making, better disaster management and smarter governance.

Chandigarh Smart City Limited (CSCL) had signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for implementing the Integrated Command and Control Center (ICCC) in the Union Territory.

The project had cost Rs 295 crore that includes civil construction for the various buildings.

Hina Rohtaki

Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory. Professional Background Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance. Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows. Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends: 1. Investigative & Financial Reporting "Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff. "Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control. "Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT. 2. Governance & Constitutional Status "What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance. "MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure. "No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term. 3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment "Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts. "UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network. "Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump. 4. Lifestyle & Local Trends "Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year. "After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges. Signature Beat Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse. X (Twitter): @HinaRohtaki ... Read More

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