Bengaluru: According to sources, the Bengaluru Traffic Police have started a pilot scheme that sends SMS alerts to vehicle owners when they break traffic rules. This is done to cut down on the financial and manpower expenses of sending traffic challans by post or in person.
The traffic police will soon stop issuing paper challans if the pilot proves successful. Within minutes of the offence being committed, vehicle owners (not the driver/rider) will receive an SMS. A link will be included in the SMS that can be used to pay the fine. The link will also include proof of the traffic offence.
Currently, the traffic police print the traffic challan and mail it to the car owner’s address in accordance with the Motor Vehicles Act’s provisions. Every day, 20,000 contactless notices are distributed throughout the City.
The cost of sending one notice is Rs. 4.5. If the traffic challans are not received or are not responded to, police officers may hand-deliver them to the vehicle owners’ address. There have also been a few cases where the notices were not served at all because the car owner had relocated (address).
Now, the cost of an SMS notice will be 20 paise. It would save time as well as money.
The SMS will be sent to the vehicle owner, regardless of whether he or she was driving at the time of the violation or not.
