Police rely on crowdsourcing to check traffic violations

Coimbatore: Do you jump signals, drive through no-entry barriers or park on footpaths when traffic cops are not around? Beware, several eyes are watching you. The retribution will be swift in the form of a photo challan, forcing you to cough up a hefty sum.
Police -E-Eye, an Android app launched by the city traffic police on Monday, aims to crowdsource reporting of traffic violations. Developed by Peelamedu-based Aveon InfoTech Private Limited, the app is the first-of-its-kind in the state.

“You can download the app from the Google Play Store. After signing up, users can click photos of traffic violations they witness on the roads and upload them. The photographs will contain information of the location and time,” a police officer said. “Control rooms have been set up at the office of the assistant commissioners of police, where the photos of the violations get printed with the consolidated fine amount. Vehicle owners name and address are fetched from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) website. The address details will be printed on the back of the challan. It will be served manually to the owner of the vehicle by a police messenger, who will also receive the fine amount as cash or card, and will issue the receipt on the spot. The collected money will be deposited in the government account through the city police commissioner’s office,” he told TOI.

Public can post violations like riding without helmet, triple riding, using mobile phone while driving, obstructing free flow of traffic, buses carrying passenger on the footboard, traffic signal violations and autorickshaws packed with school children.

“We have a limited number of traffic cops. As a result, it is difficult to cover all areas. This application will help us enforce traffic regulations with the help of public,” police commissioner Sumit Sharan, who released the app, said.