Combating COVID-19: Telangana Police set to roll out AI-based system to track those not wearing masks at public places

After the government of Telangana decided to slap a fine of Rs 1,000 for not wearing masks at public places, the police of Hyderabad City, Cyberabad, and Rachakonda are all set to track the violators with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).

"The enforcement of the norm through AI-driven system will initially be implemented in Hyderabad City, Cyberabad, and Rachakonda area within the next two to three days. It will later be extended to the whole of Telangana," l Kumar, Additional Commissioner, Hyderabad City Police, told .

"Telangana's Police Department is developing an application based on artificial intelligence whereby we are trying to capture the picture of the person who is moving without a mask," added Kumar.

He said that leveraging computer vision and deep learning techniques being implemented on surveillance CCTVs across the cities is the first of its kind in India.

"We are working out how to challan that particular persons who are roaming without wearing masks and how to send a message to him through a mobile phone or any other mode of communication, to inform him that he has violated the government rules. Then he has to pay fine of Rs 1,000," he added.

Kumar said that the e-challan system for imposing Rs 1,000 fine on persons not wearing the mask will start within the next two days.

Kumar informed that challans will be issued to those motorists moving on the road on a two-wheeler or four-wheeler without a mask by capturing his photo without a mask.

"Already, we have the e-challan system in Hyderabad City, for four to five years now," he said.

"A motorist without a mask will be issued a challan by capturing his photo. Then the challan will go to his cell phone as SMS. The written message will also go to him like a normal e-challan we send to the vehicle owner's address," he said.

Telangana government on May 7 issued an order to impose Rs 1,000 fine on those not wearing a mask at public places. "In order to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, it shall be mandatory for everyone to wear a face cover/mask at public places. Each violation shall attract a fine of Rs 1,000," reads the order issued y the state government.

Earlier on May 5, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had announced the extension of lockdown in Telangana to May 29. However, the ongoing nationwide lockdown imposed by the Central government to check the spread of coronavirus will end on May 17.

( With inputs from ANI )