Pune Smart City writes to PMC to take charge of Traffic Management System

The Pune Smart City Development Company Limited’s (PSCDCL’s) Adaptive Traffic Management System (ATMS) may soon become a white elephant for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) as the PSCDCL has written to the civic body asking the latter to take over the project and pay operation and maintenance (O&M) costs of ₹11.58 crore per annum.

Back in 2018, the PMC had approved ₹102 crore for installing an automatic signal system at 125 intersections and ₹68.38 crore for maintenance over the next five years. The PSCDCL administration was responsible for implementing the project. So far, 125 automatic signal systems have been installed

Chetan Sharma, PSCDCL official executing the ATMS, said, “We have completed the ATMS project in the month of February 2024. We have installed the ATMS system at 125 intersections. It is fully operational and our O&M period has started from April this year. As per the agreement, we will operate and maintain the project for five years.”

The Smart City mission, a key project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, initially included Pune among a few select cities. However, the central government decided to end this mission by June 2023. Thereafter, the PSCDCL started writing letters to the PMC to take charge of various projects. Around 15 days ago, the PSCDCL wrote a letter to the PMC, asking the latter to take charge of the ATMS project and pay the annual operation and maintenance charges to the operating company.

Manisha Shekatkar, superintendent engineer, electrical department of the PMC, said, “We have received a letter from the PSCDCL and as per the general body, sanctioned the proposal. We will have to pay O & M to the operating company. We will have to pay ₹11.58 crore plus 18% GST charges per year to the company.”

“After five years, the firm will hand over the project to the PMC. The project has been completed and it is operating well. The firm has installed ATMS at Karve Road, Paud Road, Katraj, Nagar Road, Solapur Road, and Satara Road. The decision is yet to be taken regarding taking charge of the project. The PMC commissioner will take the final call after we send a proposal to him,” Shekatkar said.

Originally as per the 2018 tender, the cost was expected to be ₹11.58 crore. Therefore, the PMC will need to allocate that amount each year for the next five years. There is no budget provision for this expense. Despite taking over the ATMS project and deciding to fund its maintenance, the municipal budget for 2024-25 does not include any funds for this project.

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Police interest in ATMS project

At a recent meeting on June 17 chaired by deputy chief minister and Pune guardian minister Ajit Pawar, a decision was made to transfer control of traffic signals from the PMC to the traffic police department. Currently, PMC has been managing the traffic signals. Following this decision, the police commissioner wrote a letter to the PCMC requesting transfer of control of the ATMS for improved traffic management.

Manisha Shekatkar noted, “After receiving a letter from the PSCDCL, the Pune police also expressed interest in taking over the ATMS. The decision is pending. We need to resolve the issue regarding the police’s role in maintenance charges. This matter was discussed during the meeting chaired by Ajit Pawar regarding the transfer of ATMs to the police department.”