Traffic police go digital to catch repeat offenders

Traffic policemen are now equipped with smart card readers and digital printers to keep track of repeat offenders.

The details of offenders will now be recorded through an online system, enabling the traffic police to access this data while issuing challans.

The smart card readers, that traffic police started using on August 22, lets the policeman register and access the offender’s licence and vehicle details through an online system.

If the offender has breached a traffic rule previously, details of the offence pop on the smart card reader, facilitating the policeman to take a stern action against the offender.

Earlier, records of offenders were kept in the Road Transport Office units, making it impossible for traffic cops to identify the regular offenders.

“If details of licence holders are recorded online, then policemen issuing challans would be able to access them faster and take immediate action,” said Joint Traffic Commissioner Sanjay Barve.

If the offender holds a recently issued license fitted with a microchip, the smart card reader automatically detects the details. But in the case of the old paper licences, the traffic policeman will manually enter the offender’s details into the system.

Once the details have been entered, even offenders carrying paper licences will have their offence history recorded online on the basis of their licence numbers.

The traffic police will also send an email to the offender with the details and copy of the challan.

State Transport Commissioner Deepak Kapoor said: “The Mumbai traffic police are the first in the country to use the smart card reader system. This service will avoid excess paperwork.”