The next time motorists jump a red light and are not stopped, chances are a challanwill land at their doorstep for the violation.

Patna divisional commissioner Anand Kishor on Friday asked Patna traffic police to set up the automatic number plate recognition system at all 57 traffic junctions - from where several roads branch out - to catch the violators in action.

The system, as its name suggests, would automatically capture vehicle registration plates when the driver crosses the stop line and the zebra crossing when the traffic light is red. While the system can be used for different purposes, including streamlining traffic movement and speed check, in Patna it will be used for detection of red-light violation.

Engineers said the automatic number plate recognition system is already in use in Mumbai, Indore and Surat.

Divisional commissioner Kishor has asked traffic superintendent of police (SP) P.K. Das and Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd to submit the technical and financial proposal within two weeks to get the system sanctioned for the city. The decision was taken during a review meeting on streamlining Patna's traffic system.

"The automatic number plate recognition system will make traffic management convenient in Patna. It would work as the mastercardto crack down on traffic rule violators," Kishor said after the meeting in the traffic control room. "I have asked the traffic SP and BUIDCo to submit the proposals within two weeks."

The Telegraph spoke to an engineer who explained how the "system" works.

"It is a machine that is used for different purposes. In the case of red-light violation detection system, it automatically captures the image of a licence plate. The machine can perform optical character recognition on an image to read the number plate and works only when the traffic light turns red," said the engineer who requested not to be named. "It helps in monitoring traffic because once a snapshot of a vehicle is taken, the system automatically generates an electronic challanfrom the database in the control room. The challan is then sent to the vehicle owner."

A violator cannot deny the charge because the challanwill be sent with the image of the vehicle jumping the red light. The red-light violation can be detected only where there is a zebra crossing as the camera would be focused on the stop sign before the zebra crossing and anyone crossing the line would be captured.

The plan is to first install the automatic number plate recognition system at 25 traffic junctions and later extended to the remaining 32 traffic junctions in the city, based on performance. Sources in Kishor's office said by January 2018, the system will be installed in Patna.

Kishor also asked the officials to install traffic lights at Dhunki Mor, Zero Mile, Masaurhi Mor, Choti Pahari, Agamkuan Thana, Machuatoli Chowk, New Bypass Bus Stand, Ramnagri Mor, Patliputra roundabout and Sipara Mor and these spots too would eventually come under the automatic number plate recognition system.

During Friday's review meeting, it was also decided to change the stop (red) and go (green) durations at the traffic lights based on the traffic pressure at the locations concerned. The changes will be made at Punaichak, Secretariat, IPS Mor, Hartali Mor, Kotwali Mor, Vidyapati Marg, income tax roundabout, Buddha Marg, Dakbungalow roundabout and old museum.

Road construction officials and the traffic SP have also been ordered to paint zebra crossings at all traffic junctions.