E-challaning pilot project to start this month

Punjab Police plans to start e-challaning from this month in Amritsar,Jalandhar,Ludhiana and Mohali districts as a pilot project. The e-challaning,which would be done with the help of hand-held devices,would connect the police personnel with the central police server to provide access to the entire information about the vehicle and its owner.

Besides booking traffic offenders,the system would help in detection of stolen vehicles and identify fake driving licences.

In an effort to check malpractices and corruption,it has also been decided that spot payment would be accepted only for minor offences,such as red light jumping,changing lanes,not wearing seat belts,not wearing helmet,using cell phone and wrong parking.

For serious offences,the violators would have to appear before designated courts.

“There would be provision of heavier fine for habitual offenders,” said a senior officer.