PANAJI
Even before Goa's newly commissioned AI-powered traffic surveillance system began issuing challans, conventional traffic enforcement had already painted a mixed picture of road discipline in the State.
Traffic Police data for the first five months of 2026 show that while the number of traffic violations booked across Goa inched up by just 1.16 per cent compared to the corresponding period last year, the amount collected through fines plunged by more than one-third.
The official statistics, available with The Goan, also revealed that traffic police booked 86,216 challans between January and May 2026, marginally higher than the 85,227 recorded during the same period in 2025 -- an increase of 989 violations or 1.16 percent. However, fine collections fell sharply from Rs 5.86 crore to Rs 3.73 crore, a decline of Rs 2.13 crore (36.31 percent).
The figures assume greater significance as Goa transitioned to AI-based enforcement under the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) on July 15 and detected 30-35,000 traffic violations within its first 48 hours.
The conventional enforcement data also point to stark regional disparities, with some traffic cells intensifying enforcement while others registered a marked decline.
Ponda recorded one of the sharpest jumps in enforcement. The traffic cell booked 10,573 violations during the first five months of the year compared to 11,342 in the corresponding period last year, showing only a slight decline overall, but during May alone challans surged by more than 300 per cent, rising from 297 to 1,192. The corresponding fine collection for May also increased more than four-fold to Rs 10.02 lakh.
Canacona also registered a substantial increase, with 8,241 challans issued till May against 5,196 last year, an increase of 58.60 per cent, while Calangute more than doubled its enforcement, recording 7,051 violations against 3,092 in the corresponding period of 2025, a rise of 128.04 per cent. Fine collections at Calangute also more than doubled to Rs 66.77 lakh.
The newly created Mopa Traffic Cell also witnessed a sharp rise in activity. It registered 3,349 challans till May compared to 1,682 last year -- nearly doubling enforcement with a 99.11 per cent increase.
Vasco recorded 10,719 violations, up from 7,853 last year, an increase of 36.50 per cent, while Fatorda, which has emerged as a separate traffic jurisdiction, reported 6,608 challans during the period.
In contrast, several traditional urban centres witnessed a decline.
Margao recorded 7,444 challans, down from 12,441 last year -- a decline of 40.17 per cent. Panaji saw enforcement fall by 34.24 per cent, from 6,299 to 4,142 challans, while Mapusa declined by 32.97 per cent.
Anjuna, Porvorim, Pernem, Bicholim, Colva, Quepem and Curchorem also registered lower enforcement compared to the previous year.
The contrast becomes even sharper when fine collections are examined.
Despite the marginal increase in the number of challans statewide, many traffic cells recorded steep declines in revenue. Panaji's collections dropped from Rs 42.65 lakh to Rs 3.49 lakh (-91 % approx), while Margao witnessed collections fall from Rs 78.56 lakh to Rs 19.31 lakh (-75% approx). Porvorim, Colva, Curchorem, Pernem and Quepem also registered substantial reductions in fine collections.
Officials attributed the disparity to differences in the categories of violations booked, compounding provisions under the Motor Vehicles Act and variations in enforcement drives carried out by individual traffic cells.
With AI cameras now operating at key junctions across Goa, Traffic Police believe enforcement patterns are set to change dramatically.
“Human enforcement has its limitations. AI systems work round the clock without discretion or fatigue. The certainty of detection itself is expected to improve compliance, which is ultimately the purpose of traffic enforcement,” the officer said.
