Traffic violation detection through cameras and subsequent submission to the violator for payment of fines which are in some cities like Karachi are rather hefty and in many cases out of reach of the common man has caused a heated debate in the city.
It is not just Karachi that bears the brunt of this new system but globally not only is this system being implemented and enforced but looking at the figures from a business point of view the global market for AI traffic violation detection cameras is growing robustly, reaching an estimated USD 1.62 billion in 2024, reflecting a strong demand for these solutions worldwide.
In Karachi, in my opinion, catching the violators on camera is simple but as they say there is many a slip between the cup and the lip: identifying the right person, having the right address and even the right owner and of course the vehicle having a visible number plate are all the hurdles the authorities have to cross before reaching their desired results.
In many cases, for example, it might not be possible to read the licence plate at all specially on a motorcycle as it is common practice for most motorcycle drivers to load their entire families on one single vehicle. There is the wife or elder daughter on the back seat holding on to few siblings spread out on whatever portion of bike is left with some space.
The licence plate is usually covered with overflowing garments from the many number of riders on a bike. There are also the handy men from various professions like air conditioning mechanic, plumbers, etc., who can be seen speeding around with huge cartons or pieces of machinery that conveniently hide number plates of their motorcycles.
There are of course those who do not bother with the necessity of a number plate at all and it is not just motorcycle riders that are the culprits but big four-wheelers with tinted glasses roam around the city without as much as a hint of a number plate.
I see this often and at times there are traffic police officers stopping all and sundry but do not have the courage to stop these mysterious vehicles that either have a code written somewhere and only visible to the cops or advance knowledge of some VVIP movement that should not be disturbed.
During my college days I had the opportunity to do a field survey for a gas company. Every day in the morning I would go to the distribution depot, collect a few address cards of consumers and proceed to their houses to get them to fill a questionnaire.
This was all done by walking and we had to find the addresses manually by asking directions from the local shop owners, passersby and anyone else who could help. The addresses we had were very authentic but believe me it was not easy to find those addresses and we only discovered them after hectic efforts.
Some people had moved and some others were reluctant to admit afraid that we were swindlers of some sort. In short, finding an address in Karachi is not an easy task so Good Luck to those entrusted with the task of delivering these e-challans.
It is not just how these challans will be delivered but are the recipients in a position to pay the rather large amounts is a question that needs a plausible answer. There is also the question of the challan getting to the right owner as in many cases, especially in the case of motorcycles people do not bother to complete formalities regarding change of ownership so the authorities may have the address of the previous owner or even the address of the first owner.
Using technology to control traffic is a good idea, but in a city like Karachi you have to understand the limitations. A very valid question is also the kind of training given to concerned traffic personnel. Are those implementing this system have any idea of this advanced system and how best it can be used. There has obviously been a good deal of investment in this new system.
It is in the interest of all that it succeeds.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
The writer is a well-known columnist