Install NPR cameras in toll plazas for road safety, Transport dept urges NHAI

Kolkata: The state Transport department has requested the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for installation of Number Plate Recognition (NPR) cameras in toll plazas to ensure road safety. According to a senior official, it is not final yet, the NHAI will look into the request.

According to NHAI website, they have 28 toll plazas in Bengal. The official said that these toll plazas have CCTVs installed but do not have NPR. To begin with, two NPR per toll plaza would be enough but since each of the NPR cameras is expensive, the matter is still being planned out.

According to a source, having NPR cameras will help as they will be able to integrate it with the VAHAN system. Another request by the department was keeping ambulance services at toll plazas which would in turn be linked to the earmarked hospitals. Recently, a meeting was held between the state Transport department and the NHAI. It was attended by officials of the department, NHAI as well as bus operators association representatives.

During the meeting, it was decided that one nodal officer each from the Transport department and NHAI would be nominated for dealing with day-to-day problems of toll. According to a source, NHAI has proposed to organise a workshop on road safety with the state Transport department officials and all the stakeholders.

The NHAI has agreed to establish an enforcement wing at toll plazas to intercept overloaded goods vehicles. Moreover, stringent action will be taken by the Motor Vehicle Officers and they will accordingly coordinate with the NHAI officials at the district level and District Traffic Police personnel.

According to a Transport official, the heavy vehicles were usually passed through toll plazas after paying additional fees but this came into conflict with the Motor Vehicle rules which prohibits overloading. Hence this issue was raised and talks were ensued on a Motor Vehicle Enforcement Wing working along with NHAI officials to catch overloaded goods vehicles and imposing fines according to rules.

Earlier, the NHAI officials

had stated that they would take the matter up with MoRTH.