RTOs receive interceptor vehicles, but without radars

State transport minister Pratap Sarnaik was supposed to induct them into the fleet during the road safety week

Mumbai: The state transport department had grand plans of inducting into its fleet during the road safety week next month 69 radar-mounted interceptor vehicles, which would detect the speed of motorists from 1.5 km away, click photos of traffic rule violators automatically, and generate at least 500 e-challans per hour to penalise them. But the plans have come a cropper as the vehicles, all Mahindra Scorpios, have arrived without a crucial fitout – the roof-mounted radars which would distinguish them from existing interceptors and enable regional transport offices (RTOs) across the state to nab more culprits.

RTO flying squads across the state currently have 187 interceptors – all Mahindra Scorpios, with cameras and speed guns mounted at the back of the vehicle, in place of the rear seat. (Satish Bate/HT PHOTO)

Typically, interceptor vehicles are equipped with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, a radar-based device to detect the speed of passing vehicles and a lux meter to measure brightness, among other features. RTO flying squads across the state currently have 187 such interceptors – all Mahindra Scorpios, 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 take their photos and then generate e-challans, limited to just 10-12 per hour.

In April 2024, the transport department placed orders for 96 radar-mounted interceptors, wherein the radar would be mounted on top of the vehicles and be capable of generating 500-700 e-challans per hour. The radars would detect the speed of vehicles from 1.5 km away, while artificial intelligence-powered 360-degree cameras would click photos in case of traffic rule violations – such as over-speeding, not using a seatbelt and helmetless travel on two-wheelers – automatically, without any manual prompt, said transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar.

“We are in touch with the contractor and have asked him to expedite the process of delivery,” said a senior transport department official. The remaining 27 radar-mounted interceptor vehicles too would arrive soon, he said. “Each RTO in the state will get at least two of these vehicles which will be used to nab those breaching provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.”