Nagpur’s ambitious ₹197 crore Integrated Intelligent Traffic Management System (IITMS) has recently encountered a major roadblock, casting doubts over its effectiveness and readiness. This smart traffic system, designed to modernize the city’s traffic regulation, includes cutting-edge features such as AI-enabled traffic lights, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, speed radars, and a centralized command center. While the infrastructure is nearly complete across ten key junctions in the city, the most critical feature—automated e-challan issuance—is yet to go live. The AI-based traffic signals have been activated at three major intersections: Laxmi Nagar, Deekshabhoomi, and Shraddhanandpeth, marking the first phase of the rollout. However, the enforcement mechanism behind the scenes is far from ready.
One of the main hurdles lies in the absence of proper certification and integration with national-level databases. For automated fines to be legally valid, the detection systems must comply with Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) certification and be connected to the National Informatics Centre (NIC) databases. As of now, this essential linkage is missing, preventing traffic police from issuing fines based on AI-generated data. This has effectively rendered the enforcement component of the system non-operational, despite the expensive infrastructure being in place.
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Adding to the concern is the backlog of traffic violations in the city. Since 2021, Nagpur has generated over 30 lakh challans amounting to ₹248 crore in fines. Yet, less than 10% of these have been processed in court, highlighting a systemic failure in legal follow-through. Experts have raised concerns that without urgent action to integrate legal, technical, and operational aspects, the IITMS risks becoming an underutilized investment. They warn that relying solely on technology without reforming enforcement protocols will not solve Nagpur’s traffic woes. For now, the city’s “smart” traffic lights remain a symbol of high-tech ambition stalled at a red light.
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