Chandigarh, Nov 6: Two-wheeler riders in Chandigarh will soon face stricter enforcement of helmet rules as authorities prepare to deploy AI-enabled cameras at 47 additional junctions across the city. The new system will use automated number plate recognition and video analytics to issue e-challans with photographic and video evidence, directly sent to vehicle owners.
The Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS) currently operates at 40 locations, tracking red-light jumping, speeding, stop-line violations, and zebra crossing breaches. Officials said the addition of helmet-detection technology will fill a crucial gap in road safety enforcement.
“The expansion is necessary because a large proportion of serious injuries involve two-wheeler riders,” said Sumer Pratap, SSP Traffic. “Uniform enforcement across all junctions will ensure better compliance and help save lives.”
The automated system operates round-the-clock, minimizing manual intervention, reducing human bias, and generating standardised challans backed by visual evidence. High-resolution cameras and violation detection tools have played a key role in curbing reckless driving in the city.
Data from the traffic police shows helmet non-compliance remains significant. In 2024, 84,802 challans were issued for riding without helmets — 52,544 to women and 32,258 to men. Between January and July 2023, the figure stood at 34,076, rising from 25,220 in 2022. The overall number of challans in the city has grown dramatically, from 1.81 lakh in 2020 to almost 10 lakh in 2024.
Road safety expert Harman Sidhu of Arrive Safe NGO praised the move. “The majority of crash victims are two-wheeler riders, and head injuries are the leading cause of fatalities. Using technology to enforce helmet compliance is crucial, but public awareness and consistent enforcement are equally important,” he noted.
Traffic authorities pointed out that while existing AI surveillance effectively monitors signal and speed violations, helmet compliance often slipped on internal roads, at roundabouts, and during off-peak hours. The new cameras are expected to close these enforcement gaps and ensure round-the-clock monitoring for the safety of two-wheeler riders.
