Speedsters revving up to race through empty roads at night should think again, as Chandigarh Traffic Police have armed themselves with night-vision LiDAR guns to catch such offenders.

Launching a crackdown on late-night speeding, a major cause of fatal accidents, traffic police have issued 150 challans between May 19 and May 31.

Most speed violations recorded during the speed enforcement drives ranged between 70 kmph and 110 kmph, significantly exceeding the permissible limits on city roads.

The drives were conducted daily between 10 pm and 1 am, focusing on key entry points to the city, including Airport light point to Hallo Majra light point, Sector 9/10 dividing road and Transport light point.

These locations were identified based on traffic analysis and past accident records, particularly noting a higher incidence of speeding during late hours when traffic is sparse and enforcement is typically more challenging.

LiDAR guns, also known as laser speed guns, use light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology to measure the speed of moving vehicles with a high degree of precision.

The Chandigarh Traffic Police currently have six LiDAR speed meters, including advanced models equipped with night vision capabilities. This enables accurate detection of speeding vehicles even in poor lighting conditions, which is a critical factor for night-time enforcement.

SSP (Traffic) Sumer Pratap Singh said, “Our teams are equipped with laser speed meters that allow them to monitor speeding violations with unmatched precision. These devices work efficiently in the dark and have helped us tighten enforcement during hours when violations tend to spike.”

The device emits a narrow, pulsed laser beam aimed at a moving vehicle. This beam strikes the vehicle and reflects back to the device. By measuring the time taken for the light to travel to the vehicle and back (a round trip), the LiDAR device calculates the exact distance between the device and the vehicle. By taking multiple distance readings in rapid succession, the system determines how quickly the distance is changing over time, which is then translated into vehicle speed.

The speed of light is a constant, which allows these calculations to be highly accurate. Since the laser beam is tightly focused, officers can easily target a specific vehicle in a group of traffic, reducing the chances of false readings.

Why night-time enforcement matters

SSP (Traffic) Sumer Pratap Singh explained that speeding during night hours posed a significant risk to road safety.

With reduced visibility, higher speeds, and often, lowered vigilance by drivers, the chances of fatal crashes increase manifold. In Chandigarh, several recent fatal accidents have been attributed to speeding during late-night or early-morning hours.

Currently, 10 traffic cops have been deployed at various locations in Chandigarh with speed guns.

Plans for expansion

“We are planning to expand laser speed monitoring across the city, especially on roads where speeding is more likely due to low traffic volume at night. Surprise checks will continue to be a key component of our strategy to ensure compliance. Our aim is not just enforcement but deterrence—by deploying these high-precision, night-vision-enabled laser speed meters, we are making it clear that reckless driving will not go unchecked, regardless of the hour,” the SSP said.

Deadly speeding after dark

May 11, 2025: While cycling to work near the Sector 9/10 light point, UT police constable Anand Dev, 35, was struck by a BMW driven by 26-year-old Ishan Shanker Roy, who was allegedly performing stunts at high speed. The constable succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. Roy fled the scene but was later arrested.

March 14, 2025: A brown Volkswagen Polo driven by Govind, 32, a watchman at a used-car dealership in Industrial Area, Phase 1, ploughed through a naka set up by Chandigarh Police for Holi night checking, killing a car driver, whose vehicle was being checked, and two on-duty police personnel. He had fled the scene but was arrested within hours.

March 10, 2025: A speeding Porsche Cayenne, reportedly driven on the wrong side, collided with two scooters in Sector 4, killing a man and injuring two women. The Porsche driver, Sanjeev Baboota, was arrested and the vehicle was seized.