Chandigarh, Nov. 6 -- Two-wheeler riders on Chandigarh roads can no longer hope to get away without wearing a helmet as the city is all set to get AI-enabled cameras at 47 junctions to catch these violators. The cameras will use automated number plate recognition (ANPR) and video analytics to generate evidence-backed e-challans that will be sent directly to the vehicle owner's address. Until now, Chandigarh's AI-based Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS) had cameras installed at 40 key locations, which primarily focused on red-light jumping, speeding, zebra-crossing and stop-line violations. With the new rollout, riding without a helmet will be flagged across these 47 new locations. The existing ITMS allows for 24x7 automated challans with photographic/video proof and reduction in manual naka-based challaning and standardised enforcement without human bias. These systems, equipped with high-resolution cameras, automatic number plate recognition, and violation detection features, have played a crucial role in improving traffic enforcement and deterring reckless driving. Officials say the addition of helmet-detection capability will close a crucial gap, as two-wheeler riders form a major share of road crash victims in the city. As per traffic police data, the number of challans issued in the city has seen an exponential rise -from 1.81 lakh challans in 2020 to nearly 10 lakh in 2024. Traffic officials have noted that while signal and speed violations were being effectively tracked, helmet compliance dipped on internal roads, at roundabouts, and during non-peak hours. The new AI coverage is aimed at bringing uniform enforcement across the city to curb head injuries in crashes. Between January 1 and December 31, 2024, as many as 84,802 challans were issued for riding without helmets - 52,544 to women and 32,258 to men. From January to July 2023, 34,076 challans were issued for "driving without helmets" (two-wheelers) in the UT. In 2022, for the full year, the figure was 25,220. "We are expanding AI surveillance to 47 more junctions because helmet compliance continues to be a major concern. A large share of serious road injuries in Chandigarh involve two-wheeler riders," said Sumer Pratap, SSP Traffic. Road safety expert, Harman Sidhu of Arrive Safe NGO, said, "This is a step in the right direction as the majority of road crash victims in Chandigarh are two-wheeler riders, and head injuries remain the leading cause of fatalities. Technology can strengthen compliance, provided awareness and strict follow-through go hand-in-hand."...