PMC teams up with Pune Smart City Development Corporation for the system. The civic body will be spending the operation and maintenance cost of Rs 58 crore for the next five years.
In a bid to resolve traffic chaos across the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) along with Pune Smart City Development Corporation (PSCDCL) has decided to implement the Adaptive Traffic Management System (ATMS) across the city.
In a bid to resolve traffic chaos across the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) along with Pune Smart City Development Corporation (PSCDCL) has decided to implement the Adaptive Traffic Management System (ATMS) across the city.
However, the Congress has alleged corruption in the process of approving the proposal in haste.
“The Pune Smart city has undertaken the project to streamline the traffic across the city. It has taken up the project of ATMS and would be funding capital expenditure for it. However, the PSCDCL, due to fund constraints, urged the PMC to take the responsibility of operation and maintenance of the project for five years,” said Hemant Rasane, chairperson of standing committee.
Congress leader Arvind Shinde said, “The proposal was kept pending for three years after doubts were raised about it. It has now been given a go ahead in haste by the standing committee.”
The PSCDCL Knowledge Officer is a former employee of the company that has bagged the contract for the project, he said, adding there was a need to inquire into the links between the Knowledge Officer and the company as it could lead to conflict of interest.
Moreover, the project was supposed to be completed at a cost of Rs 102 crore, Shinde said, adding if the PMC had re-tendered and sought fresh proposal for the project, then the civic body could have managed to get a company that would have executed the project at a much lower cost and using the latest technology.
In a letter to BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, Shinde said, “The BJP leader should use his sources to inquire into the alleged corrupt practices in awarding the project to a company. The project has been done on the insistence of a former chief minister and Somaiya should help in bringing a check to such corrupt practices in PMC.”
Leader of Congress in PMC, Ulhas Bagul said he has submitted a resolution to reconsider the decision on the proposal of ATMS by standing committee. “It is completely wrong to bring the proposal at last minute and get approval in haste. This amounts to cheating the taxpayers. The PMC will be burdened with commitment of paying funds for the projects for next five years,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rasane said the PMC has decided to incur the operation and maintenance cost of Rs 58 crore for the next five years, adding Rs 11.58 crore would be given by PMC every year for maintenance and operation of the project.
There are a total of 261 traffic signals across the city and as per the project, 125 traffic signals would be included in the first phase. The project would involve installing adaptive traffic controls at junctions, traffic lights and traffic sensors, variable message sign board and command control centre.
“The project would help in saving travelling time of the citizens, bring a check on traffic jams, air and noise pollution on the roads. This will also help in saving fuel as the ATMS would ensure smooth flow of traffic based on the real-time situation,” Rasane said.
Also, the project would be used for providing green corridor during emergency situation for ambulance, police, fire brigade, he said, adding the emergency situation can also be tracked on the system. The data collected from the system will be used for future planning of traffic in the respective areas along with infrastructure development as per the need, Rasane added.
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Quelle/Source: The Indian Express, 28.10.2021
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