50% fatal accidents occur at night. Traffic Police is now readying new enforcement system. Joint Commissioner Qamar Ahmed says firms invited to supply gadget. SOBHANA K reports
1 Traffic police have nine `interceptor vehicles', with digital cameras and speed-evaluating equipment. These will be placed at selected zones, and an infrared flash installed about 200 metres away. The digi-cam in the vehicle will be activated the moment a speeding vehicle reaches its `zone'. The camera will, in turn, activate the infrared flash.
2 The moment a speeding vehicle enters its arena, the infrared flash will `fire' to get a clear picture of the vehicle, its number plate and the offence committed. "Image at night is blurred due to lack of light, so infrared flash will help us get a clearer picture," a senior traffic officer says. Next, the camera will transmit photo to a laptop inside the interceptor vehicle.
3 "No policeman will try to stop the vehicle at this point. Instead, a message will be transmitted to a barricade erected a further kilometer or two away. "Pictures stored in the laptop will also be transmitted through GSM or CDMA technology to another laptop, this one kept at the barricade."
4 Real action will be at the barricade, manned by a traffic team. The defaulting vehicle will be stopped the moment it arrives: the defaulter will be shown pictures, and a challan delivered on the spot.
"This will cut out risk to life for traffic police personnel." System costs Rs 18-20 lakh
Source: The Indian Express, 12th Sep,2007