Mohali, April 3 — Nearly 60% of the 56,000 e-challans issued through Mohali’s City Surveillance and Traffic Management System since its launch last month were for bikers riding without helmets, according to police data.
Of the total violations recorded by CCTV cameras since Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann inaugurated the system on March 6, 32,159 were against two-wheeler riders flouting helmet rules. Officials mentioned that the high number of such violations aligns with a 2022 report by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), which found two-wheelers accounted for 42.9% of accidents in million-plus cities.
Mohali reported 320 road fatalities in 2023, with 172 involving bikers. Apart from helmet violations, overspeeding, red light jumping, and triple riding have further contributed to accidents, police said.
Overspeeding, Red Light Jumping Among Major Offenses
Between March 6 and now, 6,681 challans were issued for overspeeding. The speed limit on Airport Road (PR-7) is set at 50 km/h, with fines reaching ₹5,000 for violators. Authorities have also capped speed at 25 km/h near schools.
Additionally, CCTV surveillance led to 5,309 challans for triple riding and 5,091 for red light violations. Wrong-side driving remains another major concern, officials stated.
₹5.87 Crore in Fines, Most Still Unpaid
So far, Mohali Police have collected ₹37 lakh in fines, while ₹5.50 crore remains unpaid. The high number of violations underscores longstanding traffic law negligence, which had gone unchecked due to a staff shortage in the traffic wing, officials noted.
In the first three months of last year, 81 people died in road accidents in Mohali, while 70 fatalities have been recorded this year until March 31. “With violations now being captured on camera, we expect accidents to decline further this year,” said SP (Traffic) HS Maan.
The City Surveillance and Traffic Management System, implemented by the Punjab Police Housing Corporation, features 405 CCTV cameras at 20 key intersections. Currently, 351 high-resolution cameras are active at 17 critical points under Phase 1 of the ₹21.60 crore project.
A dedicated team of 10 operators monitors traffic at the Integrated Command and Control Centre in Sohana police station, keeping round-the-clock watch on violators and criminal activities.
