AI Traffic Signals Illuminate City, But E-Challans Stuck In Red Light

Nagpur: The ambitious Rs197 crore Integrated Intelligent Traffic Management System (IITMS) pilot project is nearing completion at 10 key intersections in Nagpur. However, the automation of e-challan issuance may still take time due to pending state-level calibrations and system integration.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
The project, which includes high-resolution video detection cameras, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system, smart sensors, and AI-based signal controls, aims to modernise traffic regulation by capturing real-time violations and issuing automated fines. While most of the installation work at all 10 locations has been completed to support automated traffic signals, land development and cable pooling work is underway at Kachipura site.
According to a senior official privy to the development, the system is in its final testing phase. "We are checking all connections, data feeds, and video integration. Once everything is verified, the system will be presented for final approval," the official said. The Command and Control Centre (COC) will soon begin displaying live traffic data from these intersections, he said.
However, even after making the infrastructure fully functional, officials say, e-challan generation cannot begin immediately.
"For challans to be legally valid, the detection system must be certified by state agencies as per Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR). Also, it must be integrated with National Informatics Centre databases to fetch accurate owner details," said the official, adding, "Without these crucial steps, any automated fine could be challenged in court.
"
These enforcement roadblocks come at a time when the city's traffic violation penalty recovery backlog is already staggering.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Between 2021 and June 2025, Nagpur traffic police issued over 30 lakh challans for various violations, but fines worth Rs248.19 crore remain unpaid. Of these, only 2.88 lakh cases — a mere 9.6% — were forwarded to court, leaving the vast majority of violators untouched by any legal consequence.
Experts warn unless enforcement is tightened and compliance improved, even the most advanced surveillance system will have limited impact. "Detection is not the challenge — it's what you do with it," said a senior civic official. Without court calibration, NIC integration, and manpower to process violations, Nagpur risks turning IITMS into a costly but toothless display of technology.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Hindustan Times

2 hours ago

• Hindustan Times

Delhi to enforce fuel ban on ELVs using high-tech cams from July 1

In a major crackdown on polluting vehicles, Delhi will stop selling fuel to end of life vehicles (ELVs) from July 1 and to enforce this, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras have been installed at all 520 fuel stations across the city, linked directly to the central VAHAN database to screen vehicles in real time, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) announced on Friday. Virinder Sharma addresses a press conference on Friday on the scanning and checking of registration numbers of vehicles arriving at petrol pumps via the ANPR system. (ANI) 'All pumps are now covered. The trial run has been on since December, and we're ready to go live,' said Virinder Sharma, technical member of CAQM. As a vehicle pulls into a fuel station, the ANPR system scans its number plate and instantly checks it against the central VAHAN database for registration details, fuel type, and age. If the vehicle exceeds the permissible limit—10 years for diesel and 15 years for petrol—it is flagged as an ELV. 'Once identified, an announcement will be made at the station, and the staff will inform the driver that fuel cannot be provided,' Sharma said. The rule will initially apply to Delhi from July 1 and to five high-traffic NCR cities—Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonepat—from November 1. Other NCR cities will follow in phases. ELV bans were first mandated by the National Green Tribunal in 2015 and reinforced by the Supreme Court in 2018, but full-scale enforcement had lagged. 'For such enforcement we realised that technology-driven realtime intervention was needed, which will now be used. The transport department started installing cameras in December 2024 and simultaneously testing of the system has also been done,' Sharma said. During the seven-month trial, 36.3 million vehicles were screened, 490,000 ELVs were flagged, and 44,000 impounded. The same system also caught vehicles with expired pollution certificates—over 2.95 million PUCs were renewed during this period. From July, 100 flying squads will support enforcement. Petrol stations flouting the rules may face action under the Motor Vehicles Act. However, the petrol pump association has written to the transport department objecting to fuel stations being penalised for violations. 'We are committed to cooperating with the roll-out of the new rules. However, we have concerns about the penal provisions linked to implementation issues, which we believe are unfair. We've written to the transport department requesting time for further discussions,' said Nishchal Singhania, president of the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association. The ban applies to all ELVs—Delhi-registered or not. Delhi alone has 6.2 million ELVs, including 4.1 million two-wheelers. Another 4.4 million are registered across NCR cities. 'The aim is to curb toxic emissions before the winter smog season,' Sharma said. He said in terms of emitting particulate matter (PM), BS4 vehicles have been found to be 4.5 times more polluting and BS3 vehicles are 11 times more polluting than BS6 vehicles. Also, BS3 vehicles cause six times more NOX than BS6 vehicles. To widen surveillance, ANPR cameras are also being installed at all 126 entry points to Delhi, said transport officials.

Indian Express

2 hours ago

• Indian Express

Fuel ban, scrapping: How Delhi-NCR plans to get rid of overaged vehicles

From July 1, your vehicle could be denied fuel at a petrol pump in Delhi if it's overage — 10 years for diesel vehicles and 15 years for petrol ones. Classified as End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs), these will be automatically flagged through surveillance systems as part of a comprehensive action plan rolled out by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to reduce vehicular pollution in the National Capital Region. The enforcement drive will begin in Delhi and gradually expand to the rest of NCR in phases, as outlined in directions issued by CAQM in April. The central tool in this effort is a network of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, now operational at all 520 fuel stations in Delhi. These systems, linked to the VAHAN database, are designed to detect overaged and non-compliant vehicles in real time. From July 1, when a vehicle enters a fuel station in Delhi, ANPR cameras will scan the licence plate and instantly cross-check details against the VAHAN registry. If the vehicle is flagged as ELV or lacking a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC), the system will issue an audio alert to the operator. For example, the alert may say: 'DL XX XX XXXX is an EoL vehicle. Not to be fuelled.' Fuel station staff have been instructed to deny fuel to such vehicles. Enforcement teams comprising officials from the Delhi Transport Department and Delhi Traffic Police will make periodic rounds to monitor compliance. Apart from denying fuel to ELVs flagged by the system, the broader enforcement plan also includes impounding flagged vehicles, scrapping through Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs) in NCR, and issuing No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for owners wishing to transfer such vehicles out of Delhi. Key dates in the action plan: – July 1: Enforcement begins in Delhi. – October 31: Plan comes into effect in five High Vehicle Density districts — Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, and Sonipat. – April 1, 2026: Rest of NCR. As per official data, Delhi has 62 lakh end-of-life vehicles, including 41 lakh two-wheelers and 18 lakh four-wheelers. The rest of the NCR has another 44 lakh ELVs, underscoring the scale of the cleanup exercise. Officials said traffic surveillance cameras and Integrated Command and Control Centres will also be used to monitor road traffic and identify overaged vehicles still in circulation. The enforcement teams will issue penalties and initiate impoundments based on real-time data. This plan is grounded in a series of legal directives: a 2015 National Green Tribunal order prohibiting the use of overaged vehicles; a 2018 Supreme Court ruling upholding this ban; and the 2021 vehicle scrapping policy by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Under current rules, vehicles impounded for a second time will be sent directly to RVSFs. Owners of vehicles from outside Delhi-NCR can be fined Rs 10,000 for four-wheeler ELVs and Rs 5,000 for two-wheeler ELVs. Owners may apply for release within three weeks of impoundment, and authorities are to decide on such applications within seven days. So far, 3.63 crore vehicles have been screened under the ANPR system in Delhi. Of these, 4.90 lakh have been identified as End-of-Life. Since the system's trial launch in December 2024, 29.52 lakh vehicles have renewed their PUCCs, and fines worth Rs 168 crore have been issued for violations. According to Dr Virender Sharma, Member (Technical) at CAQM, the transition to a tech-driven approach was necessary due to poor enforcement under manual systems. 'The orders existed, but implementation was weak. This new system brings real-time, on-ground enforcement through technology,' he said. Dr Sharma added that older vehicles such as BS-III emit up to six times more NOx and 4.5 times more Particulate Matter than BS-VI compliant vehicles, making their removal critical to the region's air quality, especially ahead of the winter smog season. The CAQM has clarified that BS VI-compliant vehicles in petrol, diesel, CNG, and EV categories are widely available and will continue to be allowed on roads. The goal of the plan is to systematically liquidate the most polluting segment of the vehicle fleet, thereby reducing Delhi-NCR's transport sector emissions, it said. In the months ahead, daily enforcement drives will be carried out and reports submitted to the Environment Department, which will forward them to the Commission, as per the guidelines. Vehicles flagged by the ANPR system will face either impoundment or mandatory scrapping, with options for relocation outside NCR available in limited cases. 'It needs no emphasis,' the air monitor said in a statement Friday, 'that the transport sector's contribution to NCR's air pollution is significant. This action plan prioritises the removal of the most polluting vehicles — those built before current emission norms.'

Time of India

5 hours ago

• Time of India

Deadline extended again: Motorists yet to install HSRP

Nagpur: Despite repeated extensions and appeals, a significant number of vehicle owners in Maharashtra — particularly in Nagpur — are yet to replace their old registration plates with High Security Registration Plates (HSRP), mandated for all vehicles registered before April 1, 2019. HSRP is a tamper-proof number plate with a unique identification code and non-removable snap locks aimed at curbing vehicle theft and improving traceability. The installation is mandatory under Central Motor Vehicle Rules. In a fresh circular issued by Maharashtra transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar, the govt has once again extended the deadline for HSRP installation to August 15, 2025, citing poor public response and growing demand from citizens for more time. The previous deadline was June 30, 2025. As per the latest figures, compliance with the mandatory High Security Registration Plate (HSRP) installation remains sluggish across Nagpur. Out of 16.71 lakh vehicles registered before April 1, 2019, only a fraction completed the fitment process. In Nagpur city RTO, which oversees 12.59 lakh eligible vehicles, just 1,13,427 HSRP orders were placed, and only 55,076 plates were fitted so far. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like What She Did Mid-Air Left Passengers Speechless medalmerit Learn More Undo While 71,248 appointments were booked till June 19, the gap between orders and actual fitments reflects a massive backlog and lack of urgency among vehicle owners. The situation in Nagpur (East) Deputy RTO is similar, where 4.11 lakh vehicles fall under the mandate. Of these, 1,09,183 HSRP orders were recorded, but only 48,136 vehicles completed the fitment process. Appointments in this zone stood at 62,470 as of June 19. Meanwhile, the Nagpur Rural RTO, which handles 5.62 lakh pre-2019 vehicles, has shown relatively better progress, with 82,853 vehicles fitted with HSRP from a total of 1.47 lakh orders placed. The transport department has warned that vehicles failing to install HSRP by the extended deadline will face strict penal action from flying squads. However, those who book appointments before August 15 will be exempted from penalties, even if their actual fitment is scheduled for a later date. To ensure compliance, all regional and deputy regional transport officers have been instructed to conduct wide-scale awareness campaigns in their respective areas. They have also been asked to hold meetings with local vehicle dealers and transport unions, including those representing autos, taxis, buses, and trucks, to spread information. Bhimanwar has urged citizens not to wait till the last minute and to promptly book appointments for HSRP installation to avoid fines.