Traffic surveillance video and speed cameras began keeping an electronic eye on Yerevan motorists Monday, and have already been busy.

Months ago the traffic police started the installation process of cameras that would help to watch and regulate road traffic in Yerevan – a project implemented with the assistance of Security Dream Company founded in June, 2011, with which the police has a 25-year contract. Fifteen speed cameras have been installed in the avenues of Yerevan to track violations, and 10 surveillance cameras (CCTV cameras) at ten crossroads of the capital.

Director of Security Dream Company Vahagn Aghanikyan told ArmeniaNow that on January 16 early in the morning the CCTV and speed cameras started functioning, and by 6:00 p.m. about 500 violations have already been registered.

“Everything is done according to the regulations. There were some shortcomings related to the identification of vehicle registration numbers, however, they were fixed very quickly. The main violations were connected with exceeding the speed limit,” Aghanikyan says.

The process of video cameras shooting and violations registration consists of three phases: screens installed in the center receive the information from all cameras, inspectors watching these special CCTV screens will spot and identify violations, report it to police officers and, correspondingly, a protocol will be drawn up. A fine will be mailed to the trespasser.

Eduard Hovhannisyan, head of the Achilles Union for the Defense of Drivers’ Rights NGO, believes that the usage of the cameras will bring the inspector-driver contact to the minimum, which in its turn will promote the registration of real violations instead of those fabricated for bribes.

“Recently drivers have turned to us quite often, saying that they did not exceed the speed limit, however inspectors registered a speed limit exceeding violation. Meanwhile, if there were these video materials, the problem would be settled immediately,” Hovhannisyan says.