Cops mull to prosecute traffic norm violators using CCTV footages

KOLKATA: Kolkata Police is mulling to start prosecution of traffic norm violators using surveillance camera footage other than signal and stop line violations as these are already operational at several places.

According to sources, Kolkata Police has sought details from experts as to how traffic norm violation prosecutions could be generated using artificial intelligence. Traffic signal and stop line violators are being prosecuted using Red Light Violation Detector (RLVD) cameras and automatic speed measuring cameras, which can read registration plates. But, now police want to prosecute other traffic norm violators—such as motorcycle riders without helmets, violation of no parking, lane changing and other—using artificial intelligence.

To detect helmetless two wheeler riders, the camera will process the live feed and ascertain whether the rider is wearing any headgear. If found not wearing a helmet, then the camera will take a snap of the vehicles' registration plate, following which a citation case will be generated automatically using a software.

Same process will follow for the no parking zones where a specific stretch will be covered by the surveillance cameras which will be programmed to identify and generate citations if any vehicle is found parked there.

With more than 2500 surveillance cameras installed across the city, including 125 cameras, that can read registration plates, police may use them for traffic prosecution also. The statistics show that among the 39.4 lakh prosecutions given during 2020, over seven lakh were sent to the vehicle owners' as citation using artificial surveillance.

However, the project is in its early stage. The details, which have been sought from the experts, will be submitted before the senior Kolkata Police officers during December.

Arijit Sinha, deputy commissioner of Police, Traffic said: "We are planning about the project but everything is at a very rudimentary stage presently."