IG Punjab orders to escalate launch of e-challaning system

Directs officials to remove hurdles in way and inform him if they need any help

LAHORE: Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Arif Nawaz Khan has ordered Punjab Safe City Authority (PSCA) Lahore to escalate the launch of e-challaning system.

A notification sent to the authority directed officials to remove the hurdles in the way and inform IGP if they needed any help. He further directed them to start it as a pilot project.

According to the system, CCTV cameras that can capture traffic violations were installed in different parts of the city. These cameras will capture violations and the tickets will be delivered at the house of the violator. The authority had started sending warning tickets to different violators a year ago. However, they had to start the project formally due to different technicalities including negations and reaching agreement.

Last year in June, Punjab DIG Traffic Farooq Mazhar had claimed that the system would be at par with international standards like any other developed country. Under it, an online record of violations of a driver would be maintained. An electronic device will calculate these points and issue violation tickets. Every violation will have certain point penalties and authorities can cancel a driving licence from three months to two years.

The system will be connected with the Motor Registration Authority.

Mazhar explained that in case a violator does not pay the fine, he or she will not be able to get their documents updated. Every violation ticket carries the record of previous violation points which can also be updated online. A violator, on repeated cancellations of their licence, will be required to appear for a driving test and repay the fee. At this stage, classes for driving training and traffic rules awareness will be mandatory.

“The department sent a proposed draft to the law department for amendments to traffic police rules. The proposed draft will be presented before next the cabinet committee meeting for further proceedings,” he said.

Under the new system, if a death occurs during a road accident because of a traffic violation and police find the violator guilty during investigation, his or her licence will remain suspended for two years even if the violator reaches an agreement of reconciliation with the aggrieved family.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2018.