RTI reply: Chandigarh police issued 34.38% more traffic challans in 2022

A total of 30.59 per cent (1,08,331) of challans of the 3,54,073 were issued for speeding, 97,172 (27.44 per cent) for driving dangerously and jumping red lights, and 29,879 challans for violating zebra
crossings.

The number was 64,132 in 2021 and 32,497 in 2020 for over-speeding.

49.92 per cent increase in lane driving violations.

Interestingly, city roads witnessed a 42.92 per cent (23,499) increase in lane driving violations in these 10 months compared to 2021, when only 10,087 challans were issued for the same offense. In 2020, merely 59 vehicles were challaned for this.

The particular challan is issued manually. “The reason behind the increase in this specific challan is the lane marking on the city roads. Arrows were marked on the roads allowing drivers to keep their directions on the left or right. Hundreds of complaints are received every day where motorists stop their vehicles on the wrong side at traffic signals. People who intended to take a right turn after the traffic light often stop their vehicles on the extreme left creating hurdles for ones who want to keep going straight,” a traffic police officer said.

Under police lens. (Express Photo)

According to the traffic police’s statistics, 64.04 per cent challans (2,26,779) of the 3,54,073 were issued through the high resolution CCTV cameras installed under the Smart City project, which are being monitored through the Police Command Control Centre (PCCC), Sector 17.

No drink driving challans in ‘21, ‘22.

Not a single drink driving challan was issued in 2021 and 2022. In 2020, a total of 317 people were challaned for drink driving in Chandigarh.

The challan figures show that there is has been a drastic increase in lane changing violations without giving indication and zig-zag driving on city roads in the last three years.

A total of 23,499 people have been challaned this year for the offense while 10,087 people were challaned in 2021. In 2020, merely 59 people were challaned for it. The RTI was filed by a Chandigarh resident RK Garg.

The Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC), which is now known as PCCC was inaugurated on March 27. Later, it was handed over to the traffic police at the PCCC on July 31.

The high-resolution cameras set up at the 40 traffic junctions are equipped with the Automatic Number Reading Recognition (ANRR) software that recognises and sends a challan to those violating traffic rules.

The four junctions that witnessed the most traffic violations are the housing board light point (entry from Panchkula), airport light point (from Zirakpur), Hallo Majra light point (from Mohali) and 66 KV light point (from New Chandigarh).