Pune: AI-Powered CCTVs on FC Road Flag 1,450 Traffic Violations Since Installation

Shivajinagar, 27th June 2025: A newly introduced set of AI-enabled CCTV cameras on Fergusson College Road has detected over 1,450 traffic rule violations within just a month of going live. Installed as part of a pilot project launched on May 29, these smart surveillance systems are now issuing automatic challans to violators without human intervention.

According to Pune Traffic Police, the cameras captured 1,100 instances of vehicles parked in no-parking zones, 119 cases of double parking, 221 instances of wrong-side driving, and a handful of other violations such as triple-seat riding and using a mobile phone while driving.

The initiative was launched by Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar with the aim of easing congestion and improving road safety through technology. “This is part of our broader move toward smart traffic enforcement,” Kumar said at the inauguration last month.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Amol Zende, said the AI cameras are already showing a positive impact. “What makes this initiative noteworthy is that no traffic officers are physically present at these points. The system itself is identifying violations and issuing e-challans automatically,” he explained.

Zende noted that the smart cameras operate 24/7 and are helping to reduce frequent offences such as wrong-side driving and illegal parking, which are known to choke traffic on the busy FC Road corridor. “We’ve already seen improvement in driving behavior. This is just the beginning,” he added.

Encouraged by the pilot’s success, the city police plan to install more AI-based surveillance cameras at other busy spots including JM Road and the vicinity of Lohegaon Airport. “We believe extending this technology will help instill a sense of accountability among motorists and contribute to smoother traffic flow,” Zende said.

As for penalties collected through the automated system, officials say a detailed financial breakdown will be available in about 10 days. “We are in the process of segregating data specific to the AI-based cameras. The cumulative fine amount will be released once that’s done,” said an official from the traffic department.

The experiment is part of a broader initiative to modernize traffic enforcement across Pune and reduce manual intervention wherever possible.