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From new year, traffic violators in Mohali to get e-challans
Initially, 390 cameras will be installed at 20 vulnerable intersections across Mohali district at a cost of ₹8.50 crore while the rest of the junctions will be covered eventually, a senior administrative officer said.
Come 2024 and commuters violating traffic rules in Mohali will be served e-challans on their phones as the Punjab Police is all set to install automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) and red-light violation detection (RLVD) cameras across the district.
The installation of cameras is likely to begin latest by December 1 while e-challaning will start within six months.
Initially, 390 cameras will be installed at 20 vulnerable intersections across Mohali district at a cost of ₹8.50 crore while the rest of the junctions will be covered eventually, a senior administrative officer said.
Cameras have over 90% accuracy in detecting violations
The go-ahead was given after CCTV cameras installed for demo at Sector 69 Chowk, by two companies, cleared the technical evaluation by a high-level, five-member committee of Punjab Police Housing Corporation (PPHC).
The cameras to be installed across the district have an accuracy of over 90%.
Notably, the technical committee had earlier rejected the technical bids from companies four times in three years over the poor quality of CCTVs.
“We required camera quality with 90% visibility even at night but earlier, cameras could reach an accuracy of only around 87% or below. This time, the accuracy of the cameras to detect speed violations and red-light violation was between 93 to 96% and thus the committee gave a go-ahead this time,” an officer said.
Out of three companies, two, including Visual Technology of Delhi and Door Sanchar of Panchkula, cleared the technical bids following which they will now submit their final financial bids.
The financial bid for the same is likely to open on Wednesday following which the tenders will be allotted to one of these by the end of the week.
Door Sanchar had earlier bagged ₹300 crore project for installing CCTV cameras in Chandigarh.
Notably, PPHC have a budget of over Rs15.50 crore approved by the state government for installation of cameras in Mohali.
While around ₹10 crore was sanctioned for the installation of these cameras in 2020, ₹5 crore was sanctioned earlier this year by the present state government.
A senior police officer said, “CCTVs will help us in crime detection and curbing accidents. Most accidents happen due to speeding and jumping the red-light. Traffic violators will soon get challans on their phones.”
Careful, there are eyes in the skies
In the first phase, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras will be installed at Chawla Chowk crossing; Phase 3/5 crossing; Madanpur Chowk (two locations); Micros tower, Phase 2/3A crossing; Max Hospital; Sunny Enclave gate; IISER Chowk; Airport Chowk; Cheema Boiler Chowk; Radha Swami Chowk; Gurdwara Shaheedan Chowk; Landran (2chowks); PCA stadium crossing (Phase 9/10); Dairi T point (Landran/Banur Road); Sector 105/106 dividing; Purab Apartments Crossing; T-point Ajit Samachar Sector 90/Phase 8b dividing); Phase-7 crossing; near TDI/Gilco gate and at the Airport Chowk to Zirakpur road.
