The Motor Vehicles department (MVD) has harnessed technology to make roads safer.
Under the aegis of Keltron, the MVD is expanding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) driven automated number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras to enforce speed limits and detect traffic violations across Kerala in real-time.
The latest 3D doppler vehicle tracking radars and red light violation detection systems (RLVDS) will reinforce the ANPRs. The traffic enforcement system will blanket accident-prone stretches, with a sharp focus on State highways, mofussil roads, suburban localities, and townships.
The expansive field surveillance grid is wirelessly linked to District Enforcement Control Rooms (DECR) and the State Central Control Room at the Transport Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram.
Rollout on August 15
The government has scheduled the new enforcement system's rollout for August 15.
The MVD's "lidless eyes" will blitz road safety violators with traffic tickets for offences such as running red lights, driving over the legal speed limit, left side overtaking, noncompliance with mandatory seat belt and helmet norm, one-way violation, use of mobile phone while driving, illegal and non-standard number plates, unauthorised and haphazard parking, riding triple on two-wheelers, causing traffic snarls and overloading.
The MVD will inform the vehicle owner of the infraction via courier, e-mail and mobile phone message within 24-hours. The ticket will incorporate photographic proof, time and location of the violation.
Notably, the DECRs will automatically check whether the vehicle captured on camera has valid insurance and pollution certificate. The system will also flag the vehicle's history and pending fines, if any.
An MVD team worked with Keltron chairman N. Narayanamurthy and others to install the State-wide surveillance network. A traffic violation analysis that covered accident blackspots identified the vantage points for installing the static system. A fleet of mobile enforcement units will augment the surveillance grid.
A State police official said that automated traffic enforcement would make roads safer primarily for pedestrians and two-wheeler riders. "Getting a fine challan soon after a traffic violation is an effective deterrent," he said.
As per MVD records, an estimated 1,440 or more road accident causalities were reported in Kerala till April this year alone. The police catalogued nearly 15,000 accidents during the four months.
