Srinagar, Oct 08: Kashmir Valley has witnessed a 20 per cent rise in traffic challans, generating revenue worth crores, with authorities attributing the increase to greater use of technology, which has improved transparency and helped overcome manpower shortages.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Traffic, Kashmir, Haseeb-ur-Rehman told Rising Kashmir that the technology-driven enforcement had become essential as it was not practically possible to deploy personnel at every road, junction and busy traffic point across the Valley.
“Technology is very important. You cannot do everything manually, particularly when there is a shortage of manpower to station personnel at every place and chowk,” he said.
He said the use of Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) and Intelligent Loop Traffic System (ILTS), including AI-based technologies, had made enforcement more effective and enabled authorities to monitor traffic violations more efficiently.
“The best option is technology. ITMS and ILTS are AI-based technologies and help us perform our work easily,” Haseeb-ur-Rehman said, adding that motorists needed to understand that traffic violations could be detected even when personnel were not physically present.
The DIG said technology had also addressed concerns regarding the transparency of challaning, particularly allegations in the past that challans could be modified or deleted after being issued by giving money at the site.
He said e-challans were directly transmitted to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), making the records more secure and difficult to alter or remove.
“Once an e-challan is generated, its copy goes directly to MoRTH. It cannot be modified or deleted, and the data remains there until the fine is cleared,” he said.
Haseeb-ur-Rehman said repeated violations could also lead to suspension of the vehicle registration certificate (RC) and Driving Licence (DL), with action possible when multiple challans remained unpaid.
Giving details, the DIG Traffic, Kashmir said that around 20 per cent rise has been witnessed in challans, generating the revenue in crores.
He stressed that the rise in challans should not be viewed merely as a means of revenue generation, saying the primary objective of enforcement was to create deterrence and encourage motorists to follow traffic rules.
“There is no motive to generate revenue. The purpose is to create deterrence and ensure that people follow traffic rules,” he said.
Citing an instance, the DIG said a person had approached him regarding traffic challans after his vehicle accumulated 10 violations, following which his driving licence was also suspended.
“I told him to follow the procedure first and then drive the vehicle,” he said, stressing that motorists could not expect to continue driving without clearing violations.
He said lack of awareness about traffic rules or challans could not be considered an excuse and urged people to regularly check their challan status and clear fines without delay.
The DIG also flagged several behavioural issues contributing to traffic violations and congestion in Kashmir, including the practice of allowing underage children to drive vehicles, non-use of seat belts and lack of lane discipline.
He warned that allowing minors to drive could have serious consequences for parents or guardians, particularly if an accident occurs.
Haseeb-ur-Rehman said lane discipline remained a major challenge in Kashmir and urged motorists to remain in their designated lanes and follow traffic rules to ensure smoother movement.
He said strict adherence to lane discipline, combined with technology-based enforcement, could help reduce violations and traffic congestion across the Valley.
