In a significant move towards enhancing road safety, the Maharashtra Government has initiated the process of implementing Intelligent Traffic Management Systems (ITMS) on state highways spanning over 2900 kilometers. State Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar announced on Sunday the issuance of six tenders, targeting 2100 kilometers of major highways and an additional 840 kilometers of crash-prone areas.
Notably, the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the Mumbai-Nashik-Nagpur Samruddhi Mahamarg have been identified for ITMS implementation due to their high incidence of accidents. The ITMS is expected to leverage advanced technology to mitigate road safety risks and reduce traffic violations.
The comprehensive ITMS will encompass various features, including an adaptive traffic control system (ATCS) to establish a command center for efficient violation management. The system will incorporate a state-of-the-art control room, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) with high-resolution cameras for vehicle identification, and Red Light Violation Detection (RLVD) to capture vehicles disregarding traffic signals.
Transport Commissioner Bhimanwar emphasized the strategic allocation of tenders to cover both major highways and areas with high accident rates. “Three tenders are designated for six major highways, covering 2100 kilometers, while the remaining three will address the 840 kilometers identified as crash-prone black spots. Our objective is to eliminate these black spots and significantly reduce fatalities. The department aims to achieve a 50% reduction in fatalities by 2030 compared to the current statistics,” he stated.
As road accidents continue to pose a threat, commuters are urged to exercise caution and responsibility while driving on highways. A police official from the Mumbai-Pune Expressway offered essential advice to motorists, emphasizing the avoidance of overspeeding, refraining from drunk driving, steering clear of racing with other vehicles, and eliminating distractions such as mobile phone usage while driving.
