Chennai: The Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP) plans to strengthen its crackdown on wrong-side driving by installing 170 additional automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras across the city.

A tender worth Rs 3.74 crore has been floated for the project, which aims to enhance surveillance, streamline penalty generation, and integrate with the central traffic command system.

The new cameras will be positioned at key junctions and arterial stretches where violations are most frequent. Each device will capture high-resolution images of vehicles driving against traffic and automatically generate e-challans by linking with the Vahan and Sarathi databases. The evidence generated will also be valid for legal proceedings, ensuring stricter enforcement.

The system is designed to capture number plates even at speeds of up to 150 kmph and can operate effectively under varied lighting and weather conditions. It will be integrated with the city’s intelligent traffic management platform for continuous monitoring and data-driven traffic control.

Wrong-side driving remains a persistent issue in Chennai, particularly along GST Road, Poonamallee High Road, and Old Mahabalipuram Road. In 2023 alone, more than 74,000 such cases were booked, with the eastern region recording the highest number of violations, followed by the northern and southern regions. Nearly 35% of these violations were detected through cameras already in place.

Hotspots identified include Thambu Chetty Street, Retteri Junction, and Madhavaram Roundtana in the north; Vadapalani Junction, LB Road Signal, and the 200-Feet Radial Road in the south; and Barnaby Road Junction, Valluvarkottam Junction, and PS Sivasamy Salai in the east.

Traffic officials expect the expanded network to improve compliance, reduce accidents caused by reckless behaviour, and ease congestion across the city.

“The focus of the initiative is not only to penalise offenders but also to create a deterrent effect by ensuring that violations are consistently recorded and acted upon,” authorities said.

While the technology-driven approach is expected to yield positive results, officials stress that continuous monitoring and proper maintenance of the system will be critical to its success.

The expansion of ANPR cameras marks another step in Chennai’s effort to build a safer and smarter urban traffic environment. IANS