Chandigarh, April 13 -- Stopped by the traffic police? You can no longer think of slipping in bribe money to get off easy as Chandigarh traffic personnel will soon be required to wear body cameras while on duty. The UT police have procured 100 such cameras, which are expected to be put into use within a month. Once operational, these cameras are expected to bring greater transparency and accountability while also reducing the possibility of disputes between traffic personnel and motorists. Furthermore, the real-time video and audio captured on these devices will act as digital evidence in courts, in case of disagreements or complaints. This is part of the ongoing efforts to curb corruption within the force. Last year, Chandigarh director general of police (DGP) Sagar Preet Hooda had decided to scale down manual challaning and shift towards an AI-based enforcement system to curb corruption, following instances where some traffic personnel were found accepting bribes from violators in exchange of letting them off. But an unintended effect of this move was reduced challans on certain offences due to the cameras' failure to capture these. For instance, speeding challans dropped to 95,252 in 2025 from 1,47,605 in 2024. Similarly, cases of driving without a helmet declined sharply to 17,662 in 2025 from 84,875 in 2024. Offences such as using a mobile phone while driving also saw a dip, with only 474 challans issued in 2025 compared to 1,532 in 2024. The overall challans also saw a dip in 2025 by 23% as compared to 2024. This is not the first time Chandigarh Police has turned to body-worn cameras. The force had earlier introduced such devices for traffic personnel nearly a decade ago to record public interactions and ensure fair enforcement. However, over the years, the focus gradually shifted towards automated systems like CCTV-based challaning and Intelligent Traffic Management Systems (ITMS), reducing the visibility of body cams in routine enforcement. Senior superintendent of police (SSP, traffic) Sumer Pratap Singh said, "The introduction of body cameras is expected to reduce on-road confrontations between violators and traffic personnel, a recurring issue in enforcement. Being recorded often deters aggressive behaviour and ensures both parties adhere to protocol."...