‘Traffic AI cameras to hit Airport, Clifton, Du and Teen Talwar by August 2026’

The traffic police in Karachi plan to expand their artificial intelligence-powered (AI) traffic enforcement system to Airport Road, Clifton, and the Do and Teen (2&3) Talwar junctions by August, 2026, DIG Traffic Pir Muhammad Shah says.

He said that the system to detect the lane violations is currently being piloted on Shahrah-e-Faisal, one of the major roads, using 20 high-resolution Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras operating around the clock up to Drigh Road to detect lane violations.

DIG traffic police has said that Shahrah-e-Faisal was selected for the pilot project because of its heavy traffic volume. “If we can fix discipline on Karachi’s busiest artery, we can fix it on any road,” he said.

According to DIG Pir Muhammad Shah, the system is currently issuing an average of 100 challans daily for lane violations at Shahrah-e Faisal.

He also cautioned motorists that there is no waiver for a first offence on Shahrah-e-Faisal, although drivers are offered a one-time deferment option.

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He stressed that the technology is designed to differentiate between deliberate violations and genuine emergencies. Cases involving breakdowns, potholes, or other unavoidable situations are selected for manual review.

Pir Muhammad Shah has also explained that the lane violation fines vary according to the type of vehicle and the level of risk involved. Motorcycles and rickshaws face a fine of Rs. 2,500, cars Rs. 5,000, buses Rs. 7,500, and dumpers and tankers Rs. 10,000.

DIG traffic police said the impact of the initiative was already visible, with improved traffic flow on Shahrah-e-Faisal as buses increasingly remain within their designated lanes.