Mumbai: New app for you to report traffic offences, pay fines

MUMBAI: The traffic department has launched an app for Mumbaikars to upload live images of traffic violations they spot, like helmetless riding or talking on phone while driving, as well as report incidents disrupting traffic flow, like tree collapse, and expect prompt action. Using ‘MumTrafficapp’, motorists can find out if echallans have been issued to their vehicles and pay them.

“The trial version of ‘MumTrafficapp’ has been launched on Android; it will soon be available on iOS too. This is a part of the ‘One State, One E-challan project, where a similar app for state traffic police will be launched,” said joint police commissioner, traffic, Amitesh Kumar.

The project involves uniform e-challans being issued to offenders irrespective of the town or district where the violation occurred. “Users need to download the app and create their log-in IDs,” said a traffic police official.

“To ensure that the photographs or videos uploaded are genuine, ‘MumTrafficapp’ has a provision that only allow images that have been clicked live and uploaded. Also, users will have to provide the location with every image uploa
ded. We encourage users to provide us with as much evidence as they can for quicker action.”

Currently, motorists tweet photographs and videos of traffic violations to Mumbai Police’s Twitter handle, and in some instances, police respond with details of the echallan issued to the offender. The launch of the new app was also fuelled by the criticism that traffic police’s previous app received.

“Everytime I tried to upload a picture on the older app, MTPapp, it would crash. I have written repeatedly to the traffic department about this since August 2018,” said sound designer Baylon Fonseca.