PUNE: Around 250 high-end CCTV cameras will be set up along the 94-km stretch of the Pune-Mumbai expressway as a part of a system to instantly issue challans to motorists for various traffic offences, said officials of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation.
An intelligent traffic management system is being developed for the expressway, which witnesses frequent accidents and traffic violations, said officials.
An MSRDC official said it will be a collaboration with the road transport ministry to sync with the Sarathi portal, which contains the details of all vehicle including the name of the owner and contact number.
“This will allow the challan to be immediately sent to the vehicle owner’s mobile number once a camera catches a traffic violation,” said the official.
“Motorists will be more careful if challans are issued immediately. The cameras will be of state-of-the-art quality and will be able to record the offence as well as the registration number of the vehicle in all kinds weather, be it rain or fog,” the official said.
The total cost of the project has been pegged at Rs 120 crore. “Putting the system in place will take a year’s time and the tenders will be finalised soon. The project was on hold since the past two years, but funds will now be available in phases for the project,” another MSRDC official said.
Different RTOs undertook a special drive on the expressway between July 5-10 this year after a fatal accident resulted in the death of three people in the first week of June.
During the drive, lane cutting and speeding accounted for the maximum offences. Of a total of 760 e-challans during the week, 533 were for lane cutting.
