Interview: Meeting the Challenges of Speeding

Continuing our conversation with the Traffic Police Commissioners of different Indian Cities, we have here BBGTS Murthy, DCP, Kanpur

1. How is the Kanpur Traffic police able to handle speeding challenges?

Yes, we are handling over speeding by using Limit Sign Boards and Challans, creating awareness through various media, coordinating with various other departments like NHAI, Kanpur Nagar Nigam, Smart City Management, NIC & MoRTH and with effective utilisation of apps like e-challan & iRAD (Integrated Road Accident Database).

2. Can the recent Motor Vehicle act help in enforcement?

New Motor Vehicle Act has various provisions to control over speeding. These are
1) Section 183 – Over Speeding – old penalty was Rs.400, new penalty is Rs.1000 for LMV, Rs.2000 for medium passenger vehicle
2) Section 184 – Dangerous Driving – Old penalty Rs.1000, new penalty is Rs.5000
3) Section 185 – Drunken Driving – Old penalty Rs.2000, new penalty is Rs.5000
4) Section 189 – Speeding / Racing – Old Penalty Rs.500, New Penalty is Rs.5000

3. What are the different ways by which you are able to enforce speed limits and create awareness among the drivers?

• Creating awareness through various medium like print, electronic, radio, Flexi boards
• Creation of Smart chauraaha
• Identifying points where over speeding and racing happens, conducting drives with separate teams
• We have created a separate team for highways called “Highway Traffic Enforcement Team” which works on overspending and reducing accidents on Highways.
• We are also coordinating with NHAI Control Room, for effective enforcement on Highways

4. What are the different technologies being put in place, Like Video or AI based surveillance.?

• Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC), which has various types of cameras like PTZ, RLVD through which automatic speed is detected and they are fined.
• We are in process of procuring speed guns on High ways.
• We have Integrated Traffic Management system (ITMS), in which AI based Adaptive Traffic Signal Management is a part. It also works on over all route load and speed limits.

5. Red Light violations are also part of over speeding….

Red Light Violations are definitely part of over speeding. All our major cross roads are connected with control room and vehicles are automatically fined, if there is red light violation or any other basic violation. Apart from that our field officers have e-challan app installed in their mobiles, through which we penalise the violators.

6. What according to you are the main factors that have helped or are helping to control over speeding and to reduce accidents?

• Awareness through various drives
• Coordination with Civil Police in their thana limits, making traffic management joint responsibility of both traffic and civil police
• Technology usage using various control rooms like ICCC, ITMS and NHAI Control Room
• Separate Traffic Enforcement Centre (TEC) established at DCP Traffic office. It works on effective utilisation of WhatsApp integrated with e-challan app prepared by NIC
• Special teams for specific issues.
• Continuous Monitoring.
• iRAD (Integrated Road Accident Database) is also a very important tool to identify various hot spots of accidents and take preventive measures.