Bangalore’s traffic department stopped collecting fines from traffic violators starting 13 April 2016. Reportedly, the move came after a group of army personnel beat-up a traffic police sub-inspector and two constables in Shivajinagar on 12 April.
The traffic police will now book cases using cameras to capture moving or still images of the violators. However, officials told Bangalore Mirror (BM) that there weren’t enough digital cameras for the entire staff and many field officials still use notepads to write down vehicle registration numbers to book cases.
Once a case is booked against a vehicle, a notice will be sent to the motorist and she/he will be able to pay the fine through the traffic police department’s website or by visiting the nearest police station.
Contrary to what was thought to be the reason behind the move, the commissioner of police K S R Charan Reddy (west), in charge of traffic, said, “The move has nothing to do with Tuesday’s incident. We have brought this move in practice so as not to inconvenience the public and to ensure smoother traffic flow.”
BM’s report adds that the officers are unhappy about the traffic department’s new instruction. An inspector raised his concern about how this move can affect the morale of the police force. He believes that strict action needs to be taken against the assaulter instead of stripping the policemen of their powers.
Advantages and disadvantages to consider
The traffic flow could be smoother during peak hours.
It can save a lot of time for both the police and the motorists on the road.
This system of contactless policing might result in false fines being booked. Motorists might have a tough time negotiating such cases.
Some people might take advantage by using false number plates to get away with violations.
