Traffic offenders can no more take it easy

Traffic offenders can no more take it easy

Staff Reporter

Home Minister M.P. Prakash launches Blackberry devices

# Repeat offenders may have their licences suspended
# Bangalore Transport Information System also launched



GETTING TOUGH: A traffic police personnel shows the Blackberry device after receiving it from Home Minister M.P. Prakash, in Bangalore on Friday. — photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: Motorists caught for repeated traffic offences, beware. You may not get away with it the next time and you risk suspension of your driving licence and vehicle permit. Equipped with the latest Blackberry technology-powered handheld computers and wireless printers, 280 traffic police officers will be on duty in the city henceforth to book traffic offenders.

Home Minister M.P. Prakash, who launched the police Blackberry devices on Friday as part of the B-TRAC 2010 project here, said that in the past traffic officers on field did not have the facility to verify the antecedents of motorists when checked.

The driver would get off lightly as details of his previous offences could not be checked on the spot.

With the implementation of police Blackberry, officers will now issue spot challans after verifying the driver antecedents. "Repeat offenders will face suspension of their licences and permits. It is expected that this will bring about much-needed fear of the law into the minds of the road users in the city," Mr. Prakash said.

The hand-held computers will have connectivity to the server at the traffic management centre. The mobile communication major Airtel and software companies Telebrahma and Thematics are providing the technical support for the project.

Traffic updates

The Home Minister also launched Bangalore Transport Information System (BTIS). Through passive monitoring of cellphone movements, BTIS generates accurate congestion and "time taken to travel" information. Using Airtel mobile network to cover all roads across Bangalore, BTIS will provide real-time traffic updates to the public through variable message boards on roads, SMS and Internet. Traffic police will also relay this information through FM radio stations.

Mapunity Information Services, which develops geographic information system, has joined hands with Airtel in this project, according to Sanjay Kapoor, President, (Mobile Services), Bharti Airtel India Ltd.

SMS for an auto

Mr. Prakash also launched Easy Auto system through which Bangloreans can hereafter summon an autorickshaw to their doorstep round the clock by just sending an SMS or making a phone call to 9844112233.

Internet World Wide (IWW), in association with Spice telecom, will implement the project under supervision of the Regional Transport Authority. IWW has set up a 24-hour web-based call centre where a registered passenger can place a request for an autorickshaw pick-up 30 minutes prior to his journey.

To avail themselves of the service, passengers have to register themselves with Easy Auto and get a registration kit by paying Rs. 75. The registration kit would be available from June 2 at all Spice Retail outlets (Hot Spots). Several autorickshaw unions have joined the project.

Another project that took off was the lane traffic system. Lane systems in the form of signage and markings are being taken up to ensure safe and smooth traffic movement. A total of 200 km of roads in the city will sport markings of "international standards."

Minister for Transport N. Cheluvaraya Swamy and Minister for Industries Katta Subramanya Naidu also participated in the programme organised by the Bangalore City Police at the Banquet Hall of the Vidhana Soudha.