Traffic challans set to go e-way

“We want to do away with challan books because they are an old and almost outdated way of recording violations,” Special Commissioner (Traffic) Ajay Chadha says.

Calling the archives “cumbersome to maintain”,he says the department will “surely change that part of traffic management” in a few months.

The e-challaning system will require a hand-held electronic device with GPRS connectivity,in which violations will be noted down,and then updated in the main server.

The device would be similar in size to that of a BlackBerry phone with a touchscreen and stylus,and would be attached with a compact printer to print challans in both English and Hindi.

The device would be connected to a central database,which would enable it to search or access data on the basis of vehicle number,name of the driver,driver’s licence details,and using wildcard options on one or many fields.

Special Commissioner Chadha says details of traffic violations will go at the same time to the traffic department,as well as the courts,and will be recorded for further use. “It will be easy to access,” he adds.

The e-challan system was expected to be on roads by April last year but it got deferred time and again. But this time,officials say,the department is meeting the bidders this month to clarify all doubts. And e- challans are expected to be working by April,they say.

Traffic officers say the department plans to buy more than 2,000 of these devices. Traffic policemen can instantly check for any history of violations by a vehicle or a driver with the e-challaning system.

A traffic policeman posted at the ITO junction says: “With this device,we can immediately know whether a particular vehicle was involved in any

accident earlier. That way,we will be able to identify repeat offenders and deal with them in a harsher way.”

A traffic official says the electronic system will help them identify stolen vehicles. “If there’s any doubt about any vehicle on road,we can look up the chassis and registration numbers immediately if the records are electronic and easily available,” the traffic official says.

E-challaning

* E-challaning system requires hand-held electronic device with GPRS connectivity

* Similar in size to that of a BlackBerry phone — it will have touchscreen and stylus

* Violations will be noted down and then updated in main server

* Attached with a compact printer to print challans in both English and Hindi

* Connected to a central database,to enable it to search or access data on basis of vehicle number,name of driver,driver’s licence details

* Traffic dept hopes to get 2,000 such devices by April this year