Plan to procure 69 interceptor vehicles hits price barrier

tate transport minister Pratap Sarnaik has sought an explanation regarding the steep cost of radars from department heads and Regional Transport Office (RTO) representatives

Mumbai: The state transport department’s plans to procure 69 interceptor vehicles equipped with radars for automatic detection of traffic rule violations has been stalled over the steep price of radars. While the interceptor vehicles cost around ₹13 lakh each, the cost of each radar works out to ₹35.84 lakh, show documents accessed by Hindustan Times. State transport minister Pratap Sarnaik has sought an explanation regarding the steep cost from department heads and Regional Transport Office (RTO) representatives, sources told HT.

Plan to procure 69 interceptor vehicles hits price barrier

In October 2024, the transport department awarded the contract to provide, implement, operate and maintain the radars, called ‘mobile traffic enforcement system for interceptor vehicles’, to a Nashik-based company that specialises in infrastructure and road works for a period of five years. According to the contract, of which HT has seen a copy, the total cost of interceptor devices for 69 vehicles would be ₹24.73 crore, which works out to ₹35.84 lakh per unit. Another internal document shows the 69 vehicles would be procured at a cost of ₹9.25 crore, which works out to around ₹13 lakh per vehicle.

“I have sought an explanation from my department to clarify the issue,” Sarnaik told HT.

On December 28, 2024, HT reported that RTOs across the state had begun receiving the interceptor vehicles, but without the radars which were not ready. The steep cost of the radars was noticed only after the arrival of vehicles, said sources.

The transport department is procuring the radar-mounted interceptor vehicles for improving road safety. The vehicles are equipped with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, a lux meter to measure brightness and a radar-based device mounted on top to detect the speed of passing vehicles, among other features. The radars can detect speeding vehicles from 1.5 kms away, while artificial intelligence-powered 360-degree cameras can click photos in case of traffic rule violations – such as speeding, not using a seatbelt and helmetless travel on two-wheelers – automatically, without any manual prompt. The radars can also generate 500-700 e-challans per hour.

As per plans., each RTO in the state will get at least two of the interceptor vehicles which will be used to nab Motor Vehicles Act violators.

Currently, RTO flying squads across the state have 187 interceptors with cameras and speed guns mounted at the back of the vehicle, in place of the rear seat. Once violators are spotted, operators need to activate cameras to manually click photos and then generate e-challans, limited to just 10-12 per hour.