Determined to prevent wrong side driving, which has been rampant after the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions, the city police is setting up automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras at important junctions to note vehicle numbers and impose fines on violators.
City police commissioner Shankar Jiwal said initially, the ANPR cameras will be set-up in 15 places and would be extended to other areas in future. “We have identified a few places in the city, which are accident-prone, and where many cases of wrong side driving are reported. We will set-up advanced ANPR cameras to get pictures of vehicles moving on the wrong side, and issue automatic challans to the violators, Mr. Jiwal told The Hindu.
A SIM module is being worked upon, which when installed with a digital or network video recorder, will automatically update interactive databases regarding non-functioning cameras. This will obviate delays due to physical checks and expedite repairs.
In the first phase, these cameras will be installed from SIET Junction- Teynampet; GE Koil Junction- Veppery; Anna Arch- Aminjikarai; SAF Games Village- Koyambedu; VR Mall- Thirumangalam; Walltax Road- EVR Salai Junction; Walltax Road-NSC Bose Road Junction; Little Mount- Maraimalai Adigal Bridge; Gowdiya Mutt Road-Royapettah; R.K.Mutt Road – St. Mary’s Road Junction; Eldams Road and four other places.
Mr. Jiwal also said, “ We are going to spruce up the traffic management system on roads in the city. We have instructed that Reserve Inspectors (RSI) or Reserve Sub-Inspectors (RSI) not merely stand in traffic junctions and they should move around in the vehicles provided to them. They should monitor the haphazard parking and encroachments, and take quick steps to remove them They should continuously monitor and clear obstruction to ensure free flow of traffic.”