The rollout of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled enforcement systems in Chandigarh has led to a nearly fivefold increase in traffic fines over the past five years, sparking a heated debate among residents and policymakers. Data reveals a significant jump in challans, with 9.95 lakh issued in 2024, a sharp rise from 1.81 lakh in 2020.
The majority of these fines are now being issued by AI-powered Intelligent Traffic Management Systems (ITMS), which accounted for 8.46 lakh challans in 2024, significantly outnumbering the 1.48 lakh issued manually. This shift towards automated enforcement has led to Chandigarh being colloquially dubbed “Challangarh” by some residents.
Manish Tewari, Member of Parliament from Chandigarh, highlighted the “astronomical increase” in challans following the introduction of the AI system. The Union Minister also confirmed that the government regularly receives complaints regarding AI-powered CCTV enforcement, particularly concerning the penalization of minor transgressions.
In response to these concerns, authorities have stated that all automated challans are manually re-verified to ensure fairness and accuracy before being issued. Despite this, the sheer volume of fines has raised questions about the balance between technological efficiency and public convenience.
This development underscores the broader implications of integrating AI into public governance, where the benefits of enhanced enforcement efficiency must be weighed against public perception and the potential for perceived over-policing of minor infractions.
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