According to data from the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Department (MMVD), which PTI cited, since its launch in July 2024, the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway has issued 27.76 lakh e-challans totaling ₹470 crore; however, only ₹51 crore in fines have been collected thus far.
The 95-kilometer motorway’s AI-powered system was implemented to increase adherence and lower accident rates.
ITMS on Mumbai–Pune Expressway Issues ₹470 Crore in E-Challans, Recovers Only ₹51 Crore
According to PTI, a rise in fines, especially for speeding, has made transporters resentful.
With 17.20 lakh e-challans for speed limit violations, cars are the most common offenders.
Other vehicle categories and their challan counts are:
- Heavy goods carriers: 3.27 lakh
- Buses and other heavy passenger vehicles: 2.48 lakh
- Taxis: 2 lakh
- Light goods carriers: 1.2 lakh
- Medium goods vehicles: 85,468
- Articulated heavy goods vehicles: 30,450
- Medium passenger buses: 14,764
Proctech Solutions ITMS LLP, which manages ITMS operations, makes ₹654.90 per challan (including GST).
In exchange for processing 8.84 lakh e-challans between July and December 2024, the operator has already received ₹57.94 crore.
ITMS Equipped With Advanced Network of Gantries, Cameras, and Smart Detection Systems
In addition to hundreds of CCTV cameras and 40 gantries, the ITMS infrastructure also has weigh-in-motion sensors, vehicle classification systems (AVCC), dynamic messaging systems, speed detection cameras, and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology.
Traffic violation reports are created and validated by operator personnel before being authorized by RTO officials at the central Command and Control Center (CCC), which is in charge of operations.
The Khandala Ghat section, where the speed limit is 40 kmph for heavy vehicles and 60 kmph for cars, is where most overspeeding fines originate.
Other parts of the motorway have speed limits of 80 kmph for large vehicles and 100 kmph for small ones.
The 40 kmph limit in the ghat, according to transporters, is excessively low, especially on the 10-km downhill section between Lonavala and Khalapur.
They contend that this slows down traffic flow generally and makes it more difficult for large vehicles to maintain control.
On the Pune–Mumbai route, the state government is thinking of raising the heavy vehicle speed limit in the ghat to 45–50 kmph.
Transporters went on strike last month in protest of what they described as “rampant” e-challaning.
Following the formation of a panel by the state government to examine the situation, the strike was canceled.
Industry associations contend that the transportation sector is suffering as a result of the high number of fines.
They have called on the government to address these problems as soon as possible.
