 "BPL Mobile Helps Traffic Police Track Drunk Drivers")
BPL Mobile had teamed up with Hyderabad-based IMImobile to help Mumbai Police track drunk drivers. Within two months of having rolled out, BPL Mobile seems to have done its bit to make Mumbai roads safer.
Launched in September, the service helps Mumbai Police keep track of drunk drivers, by allowing instant access to their previous records, ensuring repeat offenders do not get away and new offenders are logged on the system from the outset.
When a traffic policeman stops a vehicle, all he needs to do is SMS the driver’s license number to a confidential shortcode, to which he receives a prompt SMS in return. In a scenario where the driver is a repeat offender, the SMS reflects details such as an account of the earlier offenses while driving, license and vehicle number, the date and location of the offense/s, and the type of offense he/she was booked for.
The policeman can then instantly update his record and also slap a suitable fine or file a case. If the database reflects no previous details the policeman would book him, add a fresh record with the current information which will get reflected next time the offender is caught. The service employs an easily accessible mobile database (record) and an interface with add record and update record functions.
On the efficiency of the service, Harish Baijal, Deputy Commissioner Traffic Mumbai police said, “With the support from BPL mobile and IMImobile, our officers can now trace previous convictions of drunk driving within a few seconds. This technology has been very beneficial and will help us maintain more discipline on Mumbai’s roads.”
Showing concern on the firm measures required to curb the offense , he further added, “It is the time of the year when we as a force gear up to ensure that people’s safety is not compromised due to their own or others carelessness. Past statistics show that there has always been a sudden rise in the number of convicted cases in this period of time, from around 800 in September-October to more than 1000 in November and December. Having BPL Mobile come to our aid with a path-breaking solution we definitely are equipped to serve with more efficiency.”
BPL Mobile in association with IMI Mobile developed this application especially for Mumbai Police, providing them with an end to end solution so as to enable them to access the drinking and driving offenses’ records speedily, crucially and at the scene of the offense via their mobile phones. Mr. Sunzay Passari, vice president, value added services, BPL Mobile said, “It is a heartfelt endeavor of BPL Mobile towards every Mumbaikar’s safety and hoping they have a wonderful and hazard free festive season and that they step in the New Year with the same revelry.”
An added benefit of the solution is the fact the system is able to send out SMS alerts on known offenders to the entire police units, especially useful during busy festival or holiday season. The database is confidential with only top ranking officials having complete access to it. “We are pleased to able to offer this bespoke solution to Mumbai Police free of charge,” said Mr. Vishwanath Alluri, IMImobile Chairman, Founder and CEO. “Drunk-driving is a dangerous crime and any help we can provide to our busy Police force can only be a good thing. We hope to extend this solution to other parts of the country.”
BPL Mobile is in the process of developing this service further wherein the provision of onsite registration of offenses will not be restricted only to drinking and driving. The service will assist Mumbai Police to take the same action for other traffic-offenses like rash driving, jumping signal, lane cutting, no parking, etc.