New Delhi residents soon to receive traffic challans via WhatsApp

New Delhi residents will soon receive traffic challans on WhatsApp as the city’s traffic police department is putting a system of Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled automatic number plate recognition cameras soon. In a meeting, L-G VK Saxena instructed the department to accelerate the process.   

The meeting was held to review the traffic situation in the city with concerns over illegal parking on roadside, flyovers, especially by buses.

The AI-based Automatic Number Plate recognition cameras would fetch information on traffic violation and challans will be issued through SMS and WhatsApp without human interface, as per officials.   

“The traffic police, which was earlier directed to ensure putting in place a system where traffic challans are issued on WhatsApp, was further directed to expedite the process. This will provide timely information about the challans to violators and provide them facility to pay challan anywhere and anytime,” the official said.

Saxena also emphasized the need to integrate the traffic police's requirements into the project to improve coordination between the transport department and traffic police, thereby preventing duplication of efforts.

The officials also said that the L-G directed the traffic police to enhance the sensibility and presence of personnel on roads. He also urged traffic police to form joint teams with the transport department in order to keep a check on overloading of commercial vehicles and overcrowding of passenger buses.

The L-G has asked for an action plan from the transport department, MCD and traffic police to implement Parking Policy. He also called for joint drives of traffic and department to ensure compliance of PUC certification and enforcement.