Mumbai gets 76 new vehicles to keep motorists in check

The vehicles will be provided to the flying squads team of all the regional transport offices (RTO) in Mumbai. The teams will use the vehicles to track those violating traffic rules

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday launched 76 interceptor vehicles for transport authorities.

The interceptor vehicles were purchased for ₹13.7 cr. (Satish Bate/HT PHOTO)

The interceptor vehicles will be positioned on arterial roads and highways connecting Mumbai, to nab offenders.

They have been procured at an overall cost of Rs13.7 crore.

The vehicles will be provided to the flying squads team of all the regional transport offices (RTO) in Mumbai. The teams will use the vehicles to track those violating traffic rules such as overspeeding, drunk driving, riding without helmets, lane violation and jumping red light.

The interceptor vehicles are equipped with cameras that are integrated with laser speed guns, breathalysers and an automatic number plate recognition system. The speed guns will be able to spot moving vehicles that are travelling at non-permissible speed and the RTO personnel will be able to trace them. The personnel will also be able to generate e-challans.

“Every year there is a number of road accidents and the vehicles will help in monitoring the highways. I do not think there is a better equipped state other than Maharashtra in India and Maharashtra is always on the forefront in setting up state-of-the-art machines,” said Thackeray.

RTO officials have stated that the vehicles would help the flying squad teams, particularly in roads prone to accidents.

“Highways connecting Mumbai and the arterial roads that are prone to accidents can be monitored with the help of the interceptor vehicles. Speeding vehicles and motorists violating traffic rules can be fined at the same instance,” said a senior RTO official.