Traffic violators ‘sneak’ through slow net

However, the violators continue to wriggle out by paying just Rs. 100 as penalty even if they are caught repeatedly for the same violation. This is because the integrated challan system of the Chennai Traffic police failing to provide such data due to poor internet connectivity and server capacity. 

Field level traffic policemen told DTNext that it takes a minimum of 30 minutes to retrieve the previous violation record of a single traffic rule offender and outdated handheld machines are no solution. “We cannot keep other motorists waiting for long just to penalise a single motorist. This will ultimately end up in traffic pile-up. So, we just take the minimum fine and release the vehicles,” a traffic official told this newspaper. 

When a motorist is caught for the first time riding a motorbike without a helmet, the fine amount to be paid is Rs. 100. However, if he is caught for the same offence for the second or third time, the fine amount has to be increased to Rs. 300. Most of the traffic violations have a similar penalty pattern but due to the technical glitches in equipment the city traffic can only levy the minimum fine amount.

“Motorists are capitalising on this inadequacy of the traffic wing and do not mind repeating the offence as the fine amounts are less,” a traffic inspector said. Police sources said non-compliance by motorists is mainly because the penalties do not pinch them hard. “Persistent booking is the only way out to get rid of this problem or we will have to upgrade our system. We do not have enough manpower for daily inspection drives across the city. However, as per our study we have managed to achieve good road rule compliance on main thoroughfares like Kamarajar Salai and Anna Salai. We have seen 94 percent compliance on Kamarajar Salai as far as helmet rule goes and this is achieved through posting regular inspection teams,” another official said.