The Times of India        25.10.2013

Pune Municipal Corporation to make Intelligent Transport System functional from January

PUNE: Responding to a petition by city-based organizations, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in its affidavit in the civil court (junior division) has stated that the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) is a must to streamline traffic in the city and that it will be operational from next year.

Mere Aapne and Dalit Sena had, on September 17, submitted a petition in the civil court (junior division) challenging the traffic system and seeking a stay on its implementation. The court in its order dated September 20 had asked the civic body to submit its say.

Activists said the civic body had no legal authority to impose a fine on traffic violators. The PMC has termed the fine as "special charges" and claimed it was authorized as per the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporations Act (BPMC Act) rule 208. Activists said the rule was related to roads and restrictions on certain vehicular traffic and that it did not say the civic body could impose a fine for traffic violation.

The PMC in its affidavit has said that, considering the traffic issues, the city needs such a system to imbibe the importance of traffic rules.

In August, the general body of the PMC had approved the proposal to appoint a private company to operate the ITS system, to streamline the city's erratic traffic and check violation of rules. But opposition parties and civic activists are demanding that the municipal commissioner withdraw the decision.

"The PMC stands firm about the decision to implement the system. The process to install cameras will begin once the court gives its clearance. The PMC seeks to make the system operational by January, next year," a PMC official said.

ITS system