Armed with hi-tech cameras, Bengaluru cops pull up traffic offenders with ease

Deployment of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, capable of identifying vehicles with pending fines even in the densest of city areas, are massively aiding the Bangalore Traffic Police’s (BTP) quest to catch traffic offenders.

ANPRs can detect up to one lakh vehicles with pending cases. The East Division traffic police are using 12 ANPR cameras, while the West has deployed eight.

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On getting its first ANPR camera earlier this week, Race Corse Road singled out 25 vehicles with pending cases on a single day, resulting in the recovery of Rs 19,900.

“These cameras have been installed in Cubbon Road, High Grounds, Balekundri junction and other places,” said K M Shantharaju, DCP (Traffic) East. “We used to conduct drives to identify pending cases, but now the camera identifies them automatically.”

How it works

On identifying the vehicle with pending cases, the camera uses a software to transfer the details of the offender to the policeman stationed close by. The officer will stop the vehicle and collect the fine.

In West Division, the cameras have been installed in prominent places like Malleswaram, Rajajinagar, and VV Puram.

“The process requires same manpower, but the cameras make it more efficient. Even if 25 vehicles zip past the camera, it can accurately detect people with a history of violations,” said Kuldeep Kumar Jain, DCP (Traffic) West.

A senior BTP official said the camera can be fine-tuned to read a specific set of numbers. “If we decide to hold a drive against offending two-wheelers, we can input settings to detect only two-wheeler number plates. We can similarly adjust the settings to detect only cars,” the official said.

The BTP had procured 2,028 body-worn cameras, 250 ANPR cameras and 80 RLVD cameras for smart enforcement by the end of last year. More cameras will be procured in the next few days.

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