After weeks of trial runs following its September 29 inauguration, the city’s Rs 42-crore Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) has finally become operational, with e-challan facilities now functional at four major chowks. According to ADCP (Operations and Security) Vineet Ahlawat, the system officially went live from October 12 at PAP Chowk, BSF Chowk, BMC Chowk and Guru Nanak Mission Chowk, while efforts to expand it to other chowks across the city continue.
Ahlawat said that while over 500 traffic violations occur daily at these chowks, on an average 200 e-challans are verified and sent to violators each day. He urged residents to strictly follow traffic rules, maintain discipline on the roads, and cooperate with authorities, especially ahead of the festive season, when traffic density is expected to increase.
The ITMS initially underwent trial runs in early October to ensure the cameras, sensors and automated enforcement mechanisms were functioning properly. “The trials helped us ensure accuracy before making the system fully operational. Now, after proper checks, the e-challans are being sent to violators,” Ahlawat explained.
Each e-challan carries detailed information, including the nature of the violation, date, time, and photographic evidence, ensuring transparency and authenticity. Residents are cautioned not to respond to fake messages or calls claiming to be from the police, as genuine e-challans are only issued through official channels.
While the ITMS is designed to cover all 13 major chowks in Jalandhar eventually including Guru Ravidass Chowk, Nakodar Chowk, Football Chowk, Kapurthala Chowk, Workshop Chowk, Bhagwan Valmiki Chowk, BMC Chowk, BSF Chowk, Guru Nanak Mission Chowk, PAP Chowk, Model Town Chowk, Chunmun Chowk, and Guru Amardass Chowk, currently only four chowks are operational. The remaining chowks will be brought online in phases, as road infrastructure upgrades and camera installations are completed.
The Rs 42-crore project integrates 142 cameras, including Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and Red Light Violation Detection (RLVD) systems, aimed at improving road discipline and easing traffic management. Officials stress that the primary objective of the system is not merely to penalize violators, but to encourage safer driving habits, reduce accidents, and make traffic enforcement transparent.
“As city braces for the festive rush, we are confident that the operational e-challan system at these four chowks will act as a deterrent to traffic violations, while paving the way for a fully functional citywide network in the near future”, said police officials.
