Kolkata, March 15 -- Fines amounting to nearly Rs 40 crore were imposed for around 2.29 lakh e-challans issued for overspeeding in New Town in 2025, according to figures shared by the Bidhannagar Traffic Police.
Officials said the violations were detected through automatic speed detection cameras installed along Biswa Bangla Sarani and other major roads in the township, where wide carriageways often lead to overspeeding. The penalties amounted to about Rs 39.5 crore between January and December last year.
Police said overspeeding remains a major concern despite enforcement measures. In January this year alone, nearly 30,000 vehicles were issued e-challans for overspeeding, averaging close to 1,000 violations a day. Most violations are reported during late-night and early morning hours when vehicles tend to travel faster on the wide roads.
The Major Arterial Road (MAR) in New Town, a 10.5 km corridor connecting the township with Salt Lake on one end and the airport on the other, has multiple speed detection cameras installed to monitor violations and prosecute motorists exceeding the speed limit. Traffic monitoring is also carried out through more than automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras installed at key junctions to track vehicles and monitor traffic movement.
Officials said naka checking and night-time enforcement drives are conducted regularly, along with Safe Drive Save Life awareness campaigns. Despite these measures, road safety remains a concern, with police attributing most accident cases to excessive speed or loss of control.
Proposals have also been submitted to HIDCO for the construction of underpasses and subways at key points, including Chinar Park, St Xavier's and Jatragachhi.
Apart from the camera-based cases in New Town, about 4.2 lakh prosecutions were recorded across the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate last year through point-of-sale machines used by traffic personnel for various traffic violations. A senior traffic officer said fines realised through these machines amounted to around Rs 21 lakh in 2025 and may increase after the Lok Adalat is held.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.