In just six months since the Karnataka Home Department launched the e-accident reporting initiative for Bengaluru, a whopping 10,705 people have used the system, with an average of 60 people using it every day.

The e-accident system enables commuters to report minor accidents on the spot that do not require filing an FIR but need an acknowledgement from the police to claim insurance.

Under the earlier system, commuters involved in minor accidents had to visit the police station, submit proof such as photographs, complete paperwork, and wait for the police to issue a report, which would then form the basis for insurance companies to accept claims.

Eliminating station visits

An average of 150 to 170 minor accident cases are reported across city police stations every day. Now, around 40% of these cases are being dealt with online, which means the system has saved nearly 60 people from visiting a police station daily. This has not only saved citizens time, but has also eliminated the possibility of police officers demanding bribes to generate an acknowledgement.

Sources in the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) told The Hindu that the response has been decent, but the system has even greater potential, as it has eased the burden on both citizens and the police, with officers otherwise spending at least an hour processing minor accident reports.

A senior police officer explained that in many minor accident cases, police intervention is necessary because both parties involved in the incident may not reach a consensus. “In such cases, the police have to mediate, resolve the issue, and then generate an acknowledgement — 25% of the total cases fall under this category. Around 35% of the cases are still being handled at the police station level, which can be reduced even further,” he said.

Top police stations recording most minor accident reports through e-accident

Greater efficiency

Karthik Reddy, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), told The Hindu, “One of the major positives is the time saved for police officers, who can now be deputed for other duties. Reducing paperwork is always a positive because it allows us to have more manpower for law enforcement.”

Mr. Reddy also stressed that insurance companies rejecting online acknowledgements could have been a concern, but all companies were onboarded at the start of the initiative. “Citizens need not worry about online acknowledgements being rejected. Insurance companies have been taken into confidence,” he said.

Charan, a citizen who used the system, said the reporting mechanism is citizen-friendly and has made the insurance claim process hassle-free. “I reported an incident I was involved in near Hebbal, and the process took barely a few days,” he said.

City’s hotspots

According to BTP data, areas on the city’s periphery have emerged as hotspots where incidents are reported regularly. Electronics City has recorded the highest number of reports with 570 cases, followed by Yelahanka with 489 cases and HAL Airport Road with 476 cases. Hennur and KR Puram recorded 456 and 442 cases, respectively.

A senior officer explained that the data shows that cases are most frequently reported on high-density corridors and in areas where tech parks are located.

“In the jurisdictions of all these police stations, vehicle volume is extremely high, making them more vulnerable to minor accidents. Usually, many techies do not report such incidents and instead bear the expenses themselves because of the complexity involved in accessing insurance claims amid their busy schedules. That has changed now,” he explained.

How to access the system

Citizens can log in to the ASTraM application and select the e-accident option. They must then select ‘Report My Accident’, enter the date and time, drop a pin on the map, add a short note describing the issue, upload pictures of the damaged vehicle, and submit the report to receive an official acknowledgement.

The report will contain a unique ID, a passkey, a QR code, and a short link that will enable insurance companies to verify the authenticity of the report.