Cameras installed on Mumbai Trans Harbour Link fail to detect traffic violations; transport dept recommends upgrade
Maharashtra transport dept has requested to upgrade the system to match the standards of ITMS installed on Mumbai-Pune highway so that the RTO would be able to penalise offenders.
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A senior transport official explained that they ran vehicles on the Atal Sethu sea bridge at speeds beyond the permissible limit during the test. (Photo: MMRDA)The Maharashtra transport transport department has recently found that the cameras that are part of the intelligent traffic management system (ITMS) on the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), also known as Atal Sethu or incapable of detecting violations, such as speeding.
The department has now requested Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to upgrade the system to match the standards of ITMS installed on Mumbai-Pune highway so that the regional transport office would be able to penalise offenders.
A senior transport official explained that they ran vehicles on the Atal Sethu sea bridge at speeds beyond the permissible limit during the test. Unfortunately, the cameras installed on the bridge were unable to capture the violations.
When asked about any mandate requiring the implementation of ITMS, the official clarified that while there is no such compulsion on MMRDA or other authorities, the system is being promoted as a key safety measure. On MTHL the speed limit is 100kmph and while ascending and descending the flyover, the speed limit is 40 kmph.
The official further added that although the current cameras provide real-time monitoring and ensure the safety of commuters, they lack the capability to detect serious traffic violations like speeding, driving without seatbelts, using mobile phones while driving, lane-cutting, and driving on the wrong side of the road. Due to these limitations, the ITMS certification has not been granted, preventing the issuance of traffic challans for violators.
A robust ITMS, equipped with artificial intelligence, can detect up to 15 types of traffic offences. The MMRDA will be advised to upgrade the system to detect at least 7 to 8 types of violations.
An official from the agency responsible for operating and maintaining the MTHL confirmed that the cameras could be reconfigured to meet the necessary requirements for detecting violations. While the original ITMS contract with MMRDA included a provision for identifying speeding, further upgrades will likely be made after consultations with the authority accordingly.
No penalty has been issued for traffic violations on Atal Setu (MTHL) ever since it was opened to the public in January. Currently, motorists using the bridge only receive alerts for insufficient FASTag balances and prohibited stopping. With ITMS certification, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) would be able to issue challans for traffic violations.
The 21.8-km sea bridge, the longest in the country with 16 km stretching over water, has significantly cut travel the time between South Mumbai and Navi Mumbai by up to an hour.
According to MMRDA, over 50 lakh vehicles used the bridge between January 13 and August 25.
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