E-ticketing system, use of body cams target biases and ensure transparency – Traffic Chief

Traffic Chief Assistant Commissioner, Mahendra Singh, has outlined a series of initiatives designed to improve transparency, accountability, and fairness in the enforcement of the country’s road laws.

“Perception drives conflict,” Singh said, noting that many citizens believe enforcement decisions are influenced by who you know.

“The recognition of this perception of who you know, it somewhat haunts us while we conduct enforcement in our country,” Singh said during the recent episode of “Safeguarding the Nation” programme.

To combat this issue, Singh pointed to the implementation of the Safe Road Implementation System, with its core feature being the automated e-ticketing system. This, he said, removes human discretion and interference from the process.

“This addresses the issue without officer bias, discretion, and any intervention.

“So it’s not about who you are, but once you have committed the offence, you would have been dealt with appropriately.”

Another major technological upgrade is the introduction of body-worn cameras for officers, which Singh said enhances accountability and service quality.

“What this translates to is greater quality assurance to the services we render. Many years ago, we didn’t have. Today we have 5,000-plus body-worn cameras,” Singh said.

In addition to the technological tools, Singh revealed that internal checks and balances are also in place. Officers’ enforcement patterns are now reviewed daily to ensure consistency and fairness.

“We can trace it to see where fairness is applied,” he said.

He also assured the public that complaints and allegations are not taken lightly.

“If and when an allegation is made, whether it is departmental or criminal, investigations are conducted thoroughly and appropriate actions are taken against the ranks who default,” Singh noted.