Mysuru: While the Mysuru City Traffic Police are deploying Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled cameras to detect traffic violations and issue penalties, a growing number of erroneous challans have raised concerns. Common errors include the misidentification of seatbelt usage, helmet compliance and overspeeding violations.

Several vehicle owners have reported receiving fines for violations they did not commit — including cases where their vehicles were parked and not even in motion at the time of the alleged offence.

In one particularly bizarre incident, Madrira Kishore Biddappa, a resident of Mysuru, received an SMS from the Traffic Automation Centre at the City Police Commissioner’s Office stating he must pay a fine of Rs. 500 for not wearing a helmet while driving a tractor.

However, under the Motor Vehicle Amendment Act, there is no provision requiring tractor drivers to wear helmets.

The SMS notice, sent via ‘VK-KSPTRS’ under Section 133 of the Indian Motor Vehicles Act, cited vehicle registration number KA-55-T-2211 and claimed the violation occurred at Rammanahalli Circle towards Mahadevapura. It warned Kishore of legal action if the Rs. 500 penalty was not paid.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Kishore clarified that the tractor is used exclusively within his farm and has never been taken on public roads. “Even service technicians from the company come to the farm to conduct repairs. Neither I nor my staff has ever driven the tractor on a main road,” he said.

He pointed out that the ‘T’ in the registration number clearly denotes a tractor and such a letter is not used for two-wheelers — the category for which helmet usage is mandatory.

“AI cameras should be able to differentiate between a tractor and a two-wheeler. If they can’t, what’s the point of calling them intelligent?” he questioned.

Kishore also expressed concern that someone might have fraudulently affixed his tractor’s number plate on a two-wheeler to avoid penalties and urged the Police to investigate the matter.