Soon, the 94 km long Mumbai-Pune Expressway will have the Intelligent (or Highways) Traffic Management System. In the year 2019, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) had floated the tender for selection of an agency to implement the system, but it did not yield responses. Due to the Covid-19 induced lockdown, the process was further delayed. Now, out of three bidders, the lowest bidder has been selected and soon, the contract will be awarded. Once the contract is awarded, it will take 9 to 10 months for the system to go live after testing, according to an IE report.
What is ITMS?
The Intelligent Traffic Management System is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) application connected with high-tech cameras, sensors as well as other traffic violation detection systems such as lane cutting and over speeding installed on highways to minimize the number of accidents and for regulation and effective management of traffic. The designing of the system has been done in a way that it provides real-time updates to authorities on their Central Command Centre setup, to keep a check on traffic violators. An official was quoted in the report saying the control centre will be situated in Lonavala. Besides, there will be other centres as well for live monitoring at vehicle counters and toll booths.
Why an ITMS is needed on Mumbai-Pune Expressway?
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway is one of the country’s busiest arterial corridors. At present, it handles nearly 60,000 vehicles per day, a figure which has been increasing. Several accidents, fatalities and traffic jams have been recorded on the expressway. According to authorities, the ITMS will help them control traffic as well as increase road discipline. Besides, it will help in monitoring the stretch at all times as well as mitigate accident-like situations.
How much will the project cost?
The system’s estimated cost is Rs 160 crore for a period of 10 years on a PPP basis. According to the report, the authorities will appoint the lowest bidding agency for implementation, repair, maintenance, operations as well as other allied services.
Which traffic violations will ITMS highlight?
Some of these violations include illegal stoppages on the highways, over speeding, wrong entry, lane discipline violation, wrong side driving, using phone while driving, pedestrian crossing violation, not wearing a seat belt, driving without tail light and reflector, overloaded vehicle, having a fancy number plate, two-wheeler plying in restricted area.
What will be installed on the Mumbai-Pune expressway as a part of the ITMS?
The ITMS will have Lane Discipline Violation Detection System at 34 different locations, Average Speed Detection Systems at as many as 39 various locations, along with Weigh-in Motion machines for goods carrying vehicles at all entries of the highway. Also, for penalty collection, Automatic Number Plate Recognition will be installed at all toll booths and in all the violation detection cameras. At 130 locations, there will be other CCTVs as well for general surveillance as well as wrong-way entry detection. A weather monitoring system has also been proposed in the plan, which will be installed at 11 locations apart from Variable Messaging Sign boards at 23 different locations. Apart from high-tech mobile surveillance vans installed with speed guns, cameras and e-challan machines, there will also be an installation of Vehicle Tracking System in all existing emergency vehicles, nearly 36 including tow vans, cranes, ambulances, etc.