PublicEye, an app that allows citizens to report traffic violations, is seeing a steady growth in the number of complaints as well as resolution of the same. The app was launched in September 2015, jointly by Bengaluru Traffic Police(BTP) and Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship Democracy.
From the time of its launch, PublicEye has aggregated a total of 1.26 lakh app downloads with 24,222 active users. It has received a total of 3.28 lakh complaints, of which 2.27 lakh complaints have been effectively resolved in the last four years.
Last year, 2019, recorded the highest complaint uploads, with a 150% increase in the reporting of violations compared to 2018. In 2019, 72% of the complaints were resolved. This is a 10% increase in resolution rate from 2018 – that year, 63% resolution was accomplished for 60,738 complaints posted on the app.
Year Wise Complaints Dashboard
| Year | Open | Open
in % |
Rejected | Rejected in % |
Resolved | Resolved in % |
Total | Complaints
Increase in % |
| 2015 | – | – | 6,561 | 48% | 7,242 | 52% | 13,803 | – |
| 2016 | – | – | 18,475 | 36% | 32,314 | 64% | 50,789 | 60.90% |
| 2017 | – | – | 11,522 | 23% | 39,417 | 77% | 50,939 | 0.20% |
| 2018 | – | 22,586 | 37% | 38,152 | 63% | 60,738 | 16.10% | |
| 2019 | 1,577 | 1% | 40,329 | 27% | 110,266 | 72% | 152,172 | 150.50% |
Riding without Helmet, No Parking and Parking on the Footpath constitute 55.3% of the total complaints reported on PublicEye.
‘Parking on the footpath’ is a common violation reported through the PublicEye app. Pic: Ekta Sawant
Dr B R Ravikanthe Gowda IPS, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), said, “PublicEye effectively captures traffic violations and actively supports Bengaluru Traffic Police. Data highlights that the average complaints posted every day on PublicEye has seen a steady rise over the years. This is a clear testimony to a rise in active citizenship. While in 2018 the daily average was 166, in 2019 the daily average has reached 417 complaints per day.”
He further said that the police are resolving the complaints quickly. “PublicEye now has more user-friendly features. For instance, simultaneous multiple violations can be reported through one picture, making it convenient for citizens to report violations”.
| How can you report violations on the app?
If the violation is found to be valid upon appropriate checks by the police, the violator is penalised as per the prescribed fines. For the violation to be considered valid, key criteria is that the vehicle registration number and the violation committed should be visible in the complaint. For example, the ‘No Parking’ board should be visible in a photo which captures a parking violation. If the complaint does not meet the parameters to ensure validity, it will be rejected by the police. There are 13 categories of violations listed on the PublicEye that citizens can report. Additional information on PublicEye is available in the FAQ section of the App. Violation Categories
|
Daily Average Complaints
| Year | No. of Days | Daily Average Complaints | Daily Average Complaints Increase in % |
| 2015 | 122 | 113 | – |
| 2016 | 366 | 139 | 23% |
| 2017 | 365 | 140 | 1% |
| 2018 | 365 | 166 | 19% |
| 2019 | 365 | 417 | 151% |
“The easy interface of PublicEye encourages citizens to report violations. The citizen just has to follow three steps – ‘Aim’, ‘Click’ and ‘Send’ – and the violation gets recorded. The Bengaluru Traffic Police go through each complaint, and if the violation and the vehicle registration details are captured clearly, the violator is booked,” said Sapna Karim, Head, Civic Participation, Janaagraha. BTP currently has four members who manage the complaints.
Ward wise Distribution of Complaints
The maximum complaints were reported from Shantala Nagara. A total of 14,092 complaints were recorded here from 2015 to 2019. ‘Riding without helmet’ is the category under which most complaints are reported from this ward. Bellanduru, which features second in the list, has 11,504 complaints recorded, mostly for ‘One Way/No Entry’. Koramangala features third with 10,293 complaints; ‘Riding without helmet’ is the most common complaint here.
The table below helps to understand the wards where maximum traffic violations are reported and the types of complaints.
Wards from which the most complaints were reported (2015-2019)
| Ward No. | Ward Name | Rejected | Resolved | Open | Total | Top 1 Category on this ward |
| 111 | Shantala Nagara | 4,189 | 9,861 | 42 | 14,092 | Riding Without A Helmet |
| 150 | Bellanduru | 3,911 | 7,578 | 15 | 11,504 | One Way/No Entry |
| 151 | Koramangala | 2,978 | 7,272 | 43 | 10,293 | Riding Without A Helmet |
| 85 | Dodda Nekkundi | 2,440 | 6,393 | 8 | 8,841 | Parking On Footpath |
| 110 | Sampangiram Nagara | 2,318 | 5,191 | 18 | 7,527 | Riding Without A Helmet |
| 161 | Hosakere Halli | 740 | 5,419 | 1 | 6,160 | Riding Without A Helmet |
| 162 | Giri Nagara | 991 | 5,027 | 80 | 6,098 | Riding Without A Helmet |
| 160 | Raja Rajeshawari Nagara | 2,659 | 3,348 | 38 | 6,045 | No Parking |
| 168 | Pattabhi Ram Nagara | 1,658 | 3,805 | 34 | 5,497 | Wrong Parking |
| 178 | Sarakki | 1,215 | 4,142 | 34 | 5,391 | Parking On Footpath |
PublicEye mobile application can be downloaded from Google Play or App Store.
[This article is based on a press release from Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy, and has been republished with edits]
Let’s BTP share 10% of the fine to reporter and then see how it can help.
A certificate of participation or appreciation (for having raised first 10 accepted complaints, subsequently for every 50-100 complaints) may keep committed public active and also help popularized BTP app with others.