'Jaanta hai main kaun hoon?' Nope, not this 'traffic cop' in Mumbai

Under the new e-challan system, this police personnel will no longer get away with riding without a helmet. File Pic

The khaki is no longer an excuse to break the rules. Over 60 police personnel were fined till this Monday under the new CCTV-camera based e-challan generating system of the traffic police since its launch on October 4 for violation of road rules.

The offences range from failing to halt before the zebra crossing, talking on the phone while riding/driving, driving without a seat belt and crowding two-wheelers.

Traffic cops have often been accused of going easy on their errant peers from the police department. The automated challan system does away with such nepotism.

A traffic police official said that the offenders caught on the CCTV cameras include both on-duty personnel in official police vehicles and off-duty police personnel who sported ‘police' stickers on their private vehicles.

In cases when police vehicles are captured for traffic offences, challans are sent to the motor transport section unit concerned, which has the record of all vehicles issued to police personnel on a given day. The challan is then served to the errant personnel.

The system ensures collection of fines through deductions from salaries, if a police personnel fails to pay up.

The stringent penalty system took wing from the warning issued by Police Commissioner Datta Padsalgikar a few months ago, said another traffic police officer. He had warned all police personnel of stern action for flouting traffic rules. Apart from private and transport vehicles, thousands of taxis drivers are also among the offenders.

Around 100 high quality CCTV cameras at select junctions, signals and crossings keep a watch on offenders.

"We are following the commissioner's instructions and are impartially imposing the law, not sparing even constables," said Milind Bharambe, joint commissioner of police (traffic).

Transport expert Ashok Datar said, "The law is equal for all and this kind of impartial action on policemen and BEST drivers from the traffic police will definitely send a positive message to the public and improve the police's image in the minds of people."

24,594
No. of traffic offenders fined from Oct 4-24