The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Limited (MSRDCL) has approved the use of an Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) on Mumbai-Pune Expressway, and it is currently in the process of being implemented.
The ITMS includes features such as the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), cameras placed at an appropriate distance from each other on the stretch, incident detection, vehicle tracking and mobilisation, fine collection booths, and a centralised command room for the stretch run by the concessionaire.
The system may also be equipped with speed detection capability, lane violation detection capability, and weather monitoring systems in the future.
How Does It Work?
These devices have been procured from ADOR India, provider of traffic safety and enforcement solutions, and linked to One-State-One-Challan system of Maharashtra and are able to capture vehicles travelling at excessive speeds on the expressway.
These intelligent systems capture seat belt violations and cases of mobile phone usage while driving.
The instantaneous speed trap is a radar-based technology which detects speeding vehicles. Once a speeding vehicle is detected, the system captures a high definition image of the vehicle.
The image is further analysed for identifying seat-belt violations and instances of distracted driving.
The data which includes the photographic evidence, details of vehicle, and detail of offence is shared with the Maharashtra Highway Police in real-time so that the challans are automatically issued.
The cameras installed under the zero-fatality corridor partnership are “roving” cameras, which means their location is changed from time to time so that drivers cannot predict their placement.
What Are the Benefits of ITMS?
ITMS aids in enhanced road safety as well as traffic management on any given stretch. It allows the authorities to respond to incidents faster and focus resources where they are most needed, instantaneously.
Violations ranging from over-speeding to improper lane usage to mobile phone violations can be detected.
The advanced technological systems can also detect changes in traffic behaviour, and alert authorities of road crash incidents for immediate response.
How ITMS Can Help Reduce Accidents?
Piyush Tewari, Founder and CEO of SaveLIFE Foundation told The Quint that user behaviour is a significant cause of deaths on our roads.
"Given limited capacity and systemic constraints, human policing is no longer able to deter such behaviour. Further, the complexities of traffic management calls for use of technology to ensure seamless movement on our roads. ITMS systems address both issues by combining electronic enforcement with traffic management software. Implementation of ITMS will improve the road safety scenario all around," he added.
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