Times of India: Chandigadh: Thursday, November 7, 2025.
As many as 131 CCTV cameras — about 6% of the 2,085 installed for traffic surveillance — were non-functional in July, according to information obtained from Chandigarh Police under the RTI Act. This left 1,954 cameras operational, the lowest monthly figure recorded so far. Traffic police data shows that 1,994 cameras were working in Feb 2025, while 1,988 were functional in the subsequent two months.
The number dropped to 1,969 in May, rose to 1,985 in June and dipped again in July. Officials from the traffic wing said maintenance of cameras is a continuous process and efforts are under way to repair and restore the non-functional units at the earliest. RTI data also revealed that 1,02,222 challans were issued between July 1 and Aug 20. Of these, 84,204 were generated through CCTV cameras under the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), while 18,018 were issued manually on the spot. In July alone, 71,655 challans were issued — 54,857 through CCTV and 16,798 manually. In the first 20 days of Aug, 29,347 challans were issued via CCTV and 1,220 manually.
On Aug 4, DGP Sagar Preet Hooda directed the traffic wing to issue manual challans only for visible, serious violations, stressing that enforcement should not turn into intimidation. Officers were told to avoid unnecessary confrontations and stop vehicles only for clear violations. Following these instructions, manual challans dropped sharply — from about 500 a day to an average of 45. Social activist RK Garg said, "More than 6% of CCTVs not working in the city is a serious issue. These cameras are not only useful for generating challans and streamlining traffic but also for investigating hit-and-run cases and detecting criminals. The administration must ensure all cameras are functional."
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