Technical issues halt Unwire Pune project

Rs 100 crore was the estimated cost for setting up the infrastructure. Under the project,the company was supposed to provide commercial service to recover the cost. The PMC was supposed to provide its property for execution. But it got stuck in technical issues. “It does not exist now. There were too many problems in implementing it and the private company backed out,” said a civic official.

The PMC then took up intelligent transport system (ITS) project,aimed at easing the chaotic traffic situation in the city. The PMC spent Rs 17 crore for the infrastructure,installed 70 cameras across the city at important junctions to track the traffic situation and initiate measures to control it from a single point.

The project also aimed at bringing discipline among those using vehicles by booking them for rash driving,violating traffic rules through the recording. The PMC wanted the police to take the responsibility of penalising vehicle users violating traffic rules and share the revenue with the civic body for maintenance of the system,but they failed to work out the revenue-sharing model. Consequently,the project remained grounded.

But when they found a solution to their problems,corporators opposed the implementation of ITS to penalise citizens violating traffic rules. “The infrastructure is ready but due to lack of will on the part of elected representatives it is not being used,” he added.