Delhi Police smart vans can now capture number plates of vehicles speeding at 250km/hr

The laser-based cameras in 11 high-tech interceptor vehicles are capable of capturing the registration number plates of multiple vehicles passing by.

Traffic violators in Delhi will no longer be able to take advantage of high volume of traffic to escape prosecution. A fleet of 11 ‘high-tech’ interceptor vehicles, equipped to capture the registration number plates of most vehicles passing by it, pressed into service on Tuesday.

Delhi Police commissioner Amulya Patnaik inspecting the new interceptor vehicle after flagging them off at India Gate on Tuesday. (Arun Sharma/HT PHOTO)

To increase their effectiveness, the Delhi Traffic Police plan to frequently change the location of these vehicles and ‘spring surprises’ on violators. “Generally they will be placed along high-speed corridors and violation-prone areas. But we will keep changing their locations and even deploy them in residential colonies at times,” said Ajay Kashyap, special CP (traffic), at the launch programme at India Gate on Tuesday.

According to the officer, these interceptor vehicles are equipped with the latest technologies available in this segment. “They can capture videos and images of vehicles between 25 metres and one kilometre away. Unlike the previous fleet of vehicles which had limitations, these vehicles can capture number plates of vehicles travelling at a speed of even 250 km/hr,” said Kashyap.

The laser-based cameras in these vehicles are capable of capturing the registration number plates of multiple vehicles passing by. Until now, the traffic policemen deployed on roads were able to challan just one or two violators at once, allowing others to get away. But the new equipments will allow police to challan multiple violators at each point these vehicles are deployed.

These vehicles will also be able to detect a speeding vehicle in a lane full of vehicles. “The cameras are capable of capturing number plates in all lighting conditions,” said the officer. Though each of these 11 vehicles is currently equipped with just one camera, there is provision for adding more, such as one on the rooftop and another back-facing.

Apart from prosecuting speeding vehicles, the traffic police intend to use the new addition also for challaning bikers indulging in triple riding, riding without helmets and other offences.