Kerala to implement integrated digital traffic enforcement system

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has initiated steps for implementing an integrated digital traffic enforcement system in the state that aims at traffic rule enforcement using surveillance gadgets without human interventions.

The Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) has been appointed as nodal agency for the project and a consultant will be appointed soon for preparing plans to implement the project.

Government sources  said that the state aimed  at developing an integrated system for traffic rule enforcement and surveillance with the help of various types of surveillance cameras and gadgets like speed radars, generating and issuing challans to offenders and enabling citizens to pay the fine online.

According to sources, the manual traffic rule enforcement by police often causes severe inconvenience to the public and it even led to many instances of major law and order problems. This prompted the government to initiate digital surveillance systems. The  system would also help in effective analysis of data related to traffic violations and initiate awareness drives based on it. The manpower shortage of police for  traffic enforcement could be also addressed with the new system.

The government has evaluated that lack of awareness of traffic rules, scant respect for traffic rules and lack of scientific and professional system of enforcement were the major causes of  road accidents in the state. About 40,000 road accidents occur  in the state every year claiming about 4,000 lives and causing injury to over 40,000 people.

For the effective and  speedy implementation of the project, the state government also constituted an expert committee with IG (traffic) as convenor. Keltron managing director, Kerala State IT Mission director, transport commissioner, KSIDC managing director and home department additional secretary are members of the committee.