The Delhi Police are set to re-launch an enhanced and upgraded traffic mobile application that will allow citizens to report real-time traffic violations and assist the police in addressing them, officials announced.
The upgraded app will act as a platform for citizens to report traffic or parking violations, contributing to the regulation of city traffic, according to officials from Raj Niwas.
On Thursday, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena directed the Delhi Traffic Police to re-launch the current Traffic Sentinel mobile app under the new name “Traffic Prahari”, starting from September 1.
Citizens will now have the ability to report traffic violations, aiding the police in tracking these incidents and contributing to traffic management in the city, officials said.
The Traffic Sentinel Scheme (TSS) is a unique initiative where citizens serve as the eyes and ears of the Delhi Traffic Police, helping to reduce traffic violations by reporting them to the authorities, the officials explained.
To further encourage public participation, the LG instructed the Delhi Traffic Police to introduce a monthly rewards system for the Traffic Prahari, they added.
As part of this system, monthly rewards will be offered, with the top four performers receiving Rs 50,000, Rs 25,000, Rs 15,000, and Rs 10,000, respectively, based on the points they accumulate through reporting traffic violations, officials said.
The first round of monthly rewards will be distributed in the first week of October, following an analysis of the Traffic Praharis’ activities in September, they said.
The LG said that the Traffic Prahari scheme will provide vigilant citizens with an opportunity to collaborate with the Delhi Traffic Police in maintaining city traffic and preventing violations.
He added that the scheme would not only offer avenues for additional income to participants but also enable them to contribute significantly and constructively to governance.
The effectiveness of the scheme will be reviewed after six months, and based on the results, the monthly rewards may be increased to encourage more participation, Saxena said.
Saxena expressed confidence that this model of citizen participation would effectively raise awareness about citizens’ rights and responsibilities while fostering a partnership with the government, the officials said.
The LG also directed the traffic police to revamp the Traffic Sentinel mobile application with more powerful, effective, and robust features, the officials mentioned.
In this reward-based scheme, individuals can download the mobile app and register using their mobile number. Once registered, the app enables “praharis” to report traffic violations to the police by uploading photos and videos of the infractions.
For a traffic violation notice to be issued, details such as the date, time, location, registration number, and type of violation are mandatory. GPS coordinates, date, and time are automatically captured by the mobile device. The acceptance or rejection of the reported violation is determined by traffic police headquarters, they said.
This application empowers citizens to report various violations, including dangerous or zigzag driving, defective number plates, driving on the wrong side, improper parking, misbehaviour or harassment by auto-rickshaw or taxi drivers, overcharging, parking on footpaths, red light jumping, refusal of service by auto-rickshaw or taxi drivers, triple riding on two-wheelers, using mobile phones while driving, violating stop lines, crossing yellow lines, and driving without a helmet or seat belt, officials said.
