There is a massive flaw in the e-challan system on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, raising serious concerns about the transparency and reliability of traffic enforcement on Maharashtra’s busiest highway which is exposed in a startling Right to Information (RTI) revelation.
Mumbai-Pune Expressway ITMS Creating Chaos
More than 18.25 lakh e-challans were issued through the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) between July and December 2024.
This is part of a high-tech traffic monitoring initiative which was launched by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) in partnership with the state RTO and Highway Police.
You will be surprised to know that over 6.24 lakh of these fines were found to be incorrect which has sparked outrage among transporters and everyday drivers alike.
RTI revealed that almost 34 out of every 100 challans issued were erroneous.
In reality, the ITMS is designed to automate enforcement using CCTV cameras and AI-backed systems without human intervention.
Now, this automation appears to be misfiring, flagging vehicles for violations they never committed.
How Did This Happen?
Here mentioned Challans are commonly issued for the offenses such as over-speeding, lane-cutting, not wearing seatbelts, mobile use while driving, and wrong-side driving.
Contrary to this, saveral motorists have reported being fined for violations they did not commit.
It appears that they are forced to pay just to avoid legal complications or delays, even when innocent in many cases.
Moving ahead, the Official Figures from July–December 2024 in RTI revealed that
Total e-challans issued: 18,25,579, out of that
Cancelled due to errors: 6,24,569 and
Unpaid challans still pending: 10,94,800
In a closure look, you will find that this is more than one-third of total challans were deemed invalid, again an alarming failure rate for a system touted as intelligent and foolproof.
When it comes to this ITMS project, it was rolled out with a budget of over ₹100 crore, has already consumed ₹45 crore in funding from the state transport department.
Need For Review Of the ITMS Algorithms
This system includes 40 gantries and hundreds of high-resolution CCTV cameras across the expressway.
On one hand, officials claim ITMS has reduced road accidents and improved discipline, but the high number of incorrect challans is undermining public trust.
According to transporters, they are suffering financially due to repeated fines, and that arbitrary enforcement has become a form of silent looting.
Following these incidents, citizens are now calling for a review of the ITMS algorithms.
They are asking for improved transparency in challan processing, and an easier process to contest false fines.
Some of them even suggested the need for a human audit mechanism to prevent such widespread errors.
However, the question still remains unanswered here if technology truly serving justice, or simply penalising the common man?
