The Punjab government has decided to launch a crackdown on motorists who conceal, tamper with or alter their vehicle number plates to evade traffic monitoring cameras.
The Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) has warned citizens that hiding number plates to avoid detection by surveillance cameras will no longer help offenders escape identification, as the authority’s advanced monitoring system can detect vehicles using artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
The PSCA has also released images of cars and motorcycles whose owners attempted to conceal their registration numbers, urging citizens to comply with traffic laws. According to the authority, Safe City cameras have recorded several incidents in which motorists used their hands, pieces of cloth, tape and other objects to cover their number plates.
A PSCA spokesperson said vehicles and motorcycles could be identified through advanced AI technology even when their number plates were partially or completely obscured.
The spokesperson made it clear that no leniency would be shown to those attempting to deceive the surveillance system by concealing their registration numbers. Legal action would be taken against all violators.
The authority said Safe City cameras continuously monitor traffic violations and immediately send alerts to the relevant police authorities whenever an offence is detected.
The spokesperson further stated that concealing a number plate was not merely a traffic violation but a deliberate attempt to evade the law.
Such practices could undermine public security, disrupt the traffic management system and increase the risk of road accidents. The PSCA has urged citizens to follow traffic regulations and ensure that their vehicle number plates remain clearly visible, clean and in accordance with the prescribed standards.
