In a pioneering move to improve road safety and tackle traffic indiscipline around academic areas, the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) is introducing an exciting new feature on its ASTraM application. This update will empower college students to directly report traffic violations they observe near their campuses, transforming them into active participants in maintaining order.
This significant initiative is a collaboration with the Aarohan Foundation, an organization already renowned for its ‘Police Marshals’ program. Previously focused on drug awareness campaigns within colleges, the Foundation boasts an impressive network of 14,000 student marshals across 100 institutions. These dedicated students will now broaden their impactful work to include monitoring and reporting traffic violations, lending crucial support to the BTP’s efforts.
Karthik Reddy, the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), emphasized the immense potential of this partnership. He noted that the Foundation’s extensive student network of 14,000 individuals offers an invaluable resource that can be effectively mobilized not only to boost traffic awareness but also to swiftly identify and address those who flout traffic rules.
“A dedicated ‘Police Marshals’ option will be integrated into the ASTraM app,” Mr. Reddy explained. “This will allow our officially onboarded student marshals to easily upload photographs of traffic violations they encounter.”
A Smarter, Data-Driven Approach to Traffic Management
Beyond simply penalizing offenders, this innovative program is designed to gather crucial data, providing the police with deeper insights to significantly enhance overall traffic management and urban planning strategies.
Consider a scenario where a specific road near a college campus consistently sees instances of wrong-way driving. The collected data will allow the police to meticulously analyze the root causes of such persistent violations, enabling them to implement targeted corrective measures rather than just issuing fines to repeat offenders.
An ASTraM team representative elaborated on the app’s functionality: once a Police Marshal logs in, they’ll find a user-friendly dropdown menu featuring various categories of traffic violations. Selecting the appropriate violation and uploading a corresponding photograph will be a straightforward process.
Every uploaded image will automatically capture essential details, including the specific educational institution, the precise location, the type of violation, and, where possible, the violator’s identity. This robust data collection will form a comprehensive database, enabling the police to meticulously study traffic violation patterns and frequencies around schools and colleges, ultimately facilitating the identification and effective resolution of persistent issues.
Igniting Enthusiasm Through Incentives
To spark enthusiasm and encourage active participation among students, Vinay A.G., director of the Aarohan Foundation, announced plans to introduce a leaderboard. This leaderboard will proudly showcase the top-performing colleges in terms of reported violations, complemented by mementos to reward their dedicated efforts.
The Aarohan Foundation’s existing work is already significant, collaborating with the city’s Law and Order police to promote drug awareness, offer student counseling, and organize street plays on critical issues like drug abuse and cybercrime. This new traffic monitoring initiative will seamlessly integrate with and strengthen these ongoing community-focused endeavors.
Addressing potential concerns, Mr. Vinay reassured that “we have noticed that some Police Marshals can become excessively engaged in these activities, which might impact their academic performance. To prevent this, we have put measures in place to ensure a healthy balance between their studies and their civic duties.”
An ASTraM source clarified that while the existing Public Eye app allows all citizens to upload traffic violation photos, the new student marshal feature will operate with greater precision and effectiveness. Its restricted access to verified student participants ensures a more reliable and streamlined reporting process. The source expressed optimism that this incentive-driven model will generate a highly positive response and widespread engagement.