22 street cameras to begin operating in Amman Monday

AMMAN – The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) will start operating 22 new cameras on Monday to ensure public safety and organise traffic flow on the capital’s streets, a GAM official said on Sunday. 

Majdi Alaween, head of GAM’s cameras department, said five of the cameras are installed at traffic lights, seven are fixed radar units and the rest are mobile radar units that can be placed on cars. 

“They can produce high-quality footage and take photos of six lanes,” Alaween told The Jordan Times over the phone.

The cameras will record a number of traffic violations such as seat belt use, car licence expiration, speeding, driving in the wrong lane, using mobile phones while driving, and crossing red lights, according to the municipal official. 

The cameras have been set up on the Mukhaddarat traffic light on Abu Baker Siddiq Street, the Ersal traffic light located on Al Quds Intersection, the Maslakh (slaughterhouse) traffic light on Jaish Street and two at Queen Zein Al Sharaf intersection in Sweifieh area, according to Alaween. 

The fixed radars are located on Prince Hashem Street near Abdoun Circle, Al Aqsa Street near the Civil Service Bureau premises, Shaheed Street in the Ain Ghazal area, Jaish Street on the Zarqa highway, Jordan Street, Abu Nseir Street and Hijaz Street in Dabouq, he said.

Amman residents interviewed by The Jordan Times had mixed reactions to the plan to operate cameras, with some saying the measure will help organise traffic and others calling for stricter procedures.  

Jumaa Khaleel, a public sector employee, said the cameras will force motorists to abide by traffic rules. 

“I used to drive fast but when I was handed a traffic ticket, I decided to slow down. These cameras will make people more cautious while driving,” he said. 

Amjad Fayoumi, a private sector employee, agreed with Khaleel, noting that several other areas need these cameras. 

“Downtown Amman and Gardens Street need more cameras because they witness traffic jams and many accidents,” he said.

Sanad Abu Assaf disagreed, calling for stricter procedures.

“Issuing fines must be a first step and later other procedures like confiscating driving licences must be applied so that people are deterred. Motorists don’t care because they pay the ticket and then break the rules again,” he said.