Bhubaneswar: In a major step towards strengthening road safety and technology-driven traffic enforcement in Odisha, the Intelligent Enforcement Management System (IEMS) has been made operational on the Barbil–Panikoili highway corridor.

The automated e-challan system will come into effect from November 1, with violators being directly issued electronic traffic challans.

The initiative has been taken by the State Transport Authority (STA), Odisha, on the direction of Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena. The system has been expanded in accordance with Section 136A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and Rule 167A of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules.

The IEMS has been implemented along the four-lane Barbil–Panikoili highway corridor, which passes through the districts of Keonjhar and Jajpur.

Under the automated enforcement system, e-challans will be issued for various traffic violations, including over-speeding, triple riding on two-wheelers, riding without helmets and driving on the wrong side of the road.

As per the prescribed speed limits, two-wheelers will have a maximum permissible speed of 60 kmph, light four-wheelers 100 kmph and heavy vehicles 80 kmph.

The automated system is expected to strengthen traffic monitoring, ensure better compliance with road safety regulations and discourage dangerous driving practices.

The Commerce and Transport Department has urged all motorists and road users to strictly follow traffic rules and prescribed speed limits to avoid penalties and ensure road safety.