Jumping Red Lights Will Get You A Challan In Gurugram Now
When you’re running late and driving, you’re much more likely to make careless mistakes. You don’t notice people using their turn indicators, you fly past others without any consideration for oncoming traffic, and you’re very likely to jump some signals. Many a time I’ve seen people at signals look around to check for cops. Once they see that the coast is clear, they zoom away to the dismay of those around them and to the rage of those on the other side of the road.
In Gurugram, Haryana, such antics will no longer be tolerated as there are now 25 special cameras that take note of the mavericks who think they own the road. This means that even in the absence of a traffic police marshall, jumping a red light will lead to a challan being issued against the offenders.
The Red Light Violation Detection Cameras (RLVD), issued by the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and the Gurugram Traffic Police, monitor the signal crossings 24×7. It even alerts the violators that a challan has been issued in their name immediately after they jump a signal. Justice is best served hot, after all. The first E-Challan of this vein was issued back in March. However, it has now been extended throughout Gurugram.
Gurugram Traffic Police Deputy Commissioner (DCP) Ravinder Singh Tomar has said that the cameras, similar to speed cameras, are armed with number plate readers. These devices transmit the information to the E-Challan generation system, following which an alert is sent to the owner of the vehicle.
Like the cameras that are fixed around busy routes, the RVLD cameras also provide a feed of the signal that is monitored at the traffic police tower in Sushant Lok 1. Not only will the cameras aid the police in monitoring the rule-breakers, but it also reduces the chances of accidents in the stretches where there are vehicles coming from all 4 directions.
Similar to speeding fines, jumping a traffic signal will set you back a hefty amount of Rs.5000 the first time. Failure to heed the warning and repeating the same mistake doubles the fee to an even Rs.10000.
Prominent Locations
Galleria Market, IFFVO, HUDA City Centre, Rajiv Chowk, Subhash Chowk, Signature Towers, IMT Chowk, Hero Honda Chowk, Bakhtawar Chowk, Rezangala Chowk, MG Road, Chowk Metro Station, Vatika Chowk, and Bristol Chowk are some of the locations where the RLVD cameras have been set up.
If you live around these areas, you’d know that some of them already had cameras there. In such places, the pre-existing cameras were upgraded with the RLVD feature. This was done as a part of the Smart City Initiative of installing 2,000 surveillance cameras across the city.
Further Plans
With 230 RLVD cameras being installed across 25 locations, with work at 5 locations still going on, the total will eventually add up to a neat 315 such cameras, according to Kapil Bardeja, CEO and co-founder of Vehant Technologies.
Not all the developments are as high-end and tech-savvy as RLVD cameras as the Police are also ensuring that the simpler aspects such as proper markings, lanes, zebra crossings, and stop lines are implemented as well. This will help in identifying what type of violation is taking place, which in turn can be used to decide the kind of E-Challan to be generated.
