Challans nosedive as CCTV cameras go dead in Panchkula

Panchkula: Non-functional CCTV cameras across Panchkula have led to a sharp fall in traffic challans, effectively giving rule violators a free run on many city roads, police officials said.Official police data for the first three months of the year show a steep decline in challans issued through CCTV surveillance compared with the corresponding period over the past two years. Between January 1 and March 31, 2026, only 7,819 CCTV challans were issued for traffic violations.In contrast, 24,560 challans were issued during the same period last year, while 16,981 commuters were fined via CCTV cameras in the corresponding period in 2024.Police attributed the sharp dip directly to a large number of defunct cameras. Officials said the issue goes beyond traffic enforcement, posing a serious challenge to the city's security and surveillance apparatus. In the absence of working cameras, tracking suspects fleeing after crimes or identifying vehicles involved in criminal activities becomes significantly harder, giving criminals an advantage."In cases of petty crimes such as chain snatching or vehicle theft, CCTV cameras often prove crucial. With many of them not working, both traffic violators and offenders benefit," a police official said.The traffic police had earlier written to the Panchkula Municipal Corporation (MC) seeking immediate repair of the cameras, but the problem persists. TOI reported last month that 200 of the 473 CCTV cameras installed by the MC across the city were non-functional.The issue appears to be linked to delays in operation and maintenance, which had been outsourced to a private contractor. MC commissioner Vinay Kumar had previously directed officials to ensure that all cameras were made functional through the existing contractor, whose contract has since ended.Calling the situation alarming, S K Nayar, president of the Citizens Welfare Association, Panchkula, said the data clearly reflected the consequences of a weakened surveillance system. "For the past three to four years, we have repeatedly heard about defunct CCTV cameras. When the MC spends around Rs 1 crore annually on their operation and maintenance, the lack of accountability is shocking," he said.Meanwhile, a senior MC official claimed that repair work is underway and that several cameras have already been made operational, with efforts continuing to restore the remaining ones.Comparative three-year challans data from Jan to March 31Year CCTV Offline Total2026 7,819 3,928 11,7502025 24,560 5,627 30,1872024 16,981 2,938 19,919