Punjab Police to Deploy Smart Vans with AI Cameras to Catch E-Challan Defaulters

Punjab Police has decided to introduce advanced smart vans to identify e-challan defaulters and wanted criminals across the province, officials said. In the first phase, the department plans to purchase 50 'Police Eye Smart Vans' for automated monitoring and has sought more than Rs. 500 million for the project.

According to police officials, the purchase proposal has been resubmitted to the Punjab government after objections raised by the Home Department were addressed. The vans will be equipped with advanced 360-degree cameras capable of identifying vehicles with unpaid traffic fines as well as wanted criminals on roads and in public places.

The cameras will have a range of 100 metres, allowing the system to continuously update information about vehicles and individuals within their coverage area. The vans will also be connected to the Safe Cities Authority's system so that immediate alerts are generated when suspicious vehicles or wanted criminals are detected. The technology will further allow police to identify overloaded vehicles and issue alerts with a single click.

To save fuel costs, the department plans to purchase electric vehicles for the project. The vehicles will be prepared under the supervision of Additional IG Logistics Fawaduddin Qureshi. Once approved, each district is expected to receive one to three smart vans for monitoring.

Officials said each fully equipped smart van is expected to cost approximately Rs. 11 million. The initiative reflects a growing push toward technology-driven policing in Punjab, where automated systems are increasingly used for traffic enforcement and public safety.

The proposal's approval will determine the rollout timeline, with the first batch of vans expected to be deployed to districts once funding is cleared.