In order to improve road safety, Maharashtra’s first Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) is being installed on Mumbai-Pune expressway by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).
Maharashtra’s First ITMS Installed On Mumbai-Pune Expressway
This system aims to modernize traffic management and improve road safety.
This expressway has quite a challenging traffic with weekday traffic averaging around 40,000 vehicles and weekend traffic at about 60,000 vehicles.
According to the Highway police officials and senior MSRDC officials, the system will be operational by the first week of June.
So far, 39 gantries have been set up along a 95-kilometer segment of the expressway in its initial stage of installation.
It is housing 218 AI-enabled CCTV cameras designed to identify 17 different types of traffic violations.
Besides this, there will be Automatic number plate recognition which will be integrated into all cameras and toll booths, hence allowing authorities to issue e-challans efficiently.
Big On Road Management & Motorists Safety
According to the Officials, every entry point to the expressway will feature weigh-in-motion machines for goods carriers, along with weather monitoring systems installed at 11 sites.
In addition to this, all 36 existing emergency vehicles, including towing vans, cranes and ambulances, will be fitted with vehicle tracking systems.
They will also have variable messaging sign boards at 23 different locations that will provide motorists with crucial information such as real-time updates on traffic status, road closures and weather conditions.
The cutting-edge technology would improve road management and motorists’ safety in a major way, said Tanaji Chikle, the superintendent of Highway Traffic Police (Panvel), told Hindustan Times.
Adding, “At present, though speed-monitoring CCTVs are installed at select junctions and crossovers on the expressway, motorists often slow down only when they approach these cameras or spot traffic police personnel.”
“Under ITMS, the live feed of a vehicle that has been found speeding or violating traffic rules continuously will be sent to the toll booth ahead, and a hooter will be sounded off when the vehicle nears it. This will help in enforcing traffic rules and discipline,” Chikle said.
They are planning to establish a similar system on the Samruddhi Mahamarg, making it the second highway in the state equipped with ITMS in its next phase.
