Mysore/Mysuru: As the toll rates for travel between Mysuru and Bengaluru on the Access-Controlled Expressway are set to increase from April 1, motorists should anticipate heightened scrutiny for speed violations that lead to accidents.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) intends to enhance surveillance measures by installing 60 Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras along the Expressway.

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP-Traffic & Road Safety) Alok Kumar held a meeting on Mar. 28 in Bengaluru with Karnataka NHAI Officers, Regional Officers and Project Directors. The meeting discussed strategies to improve road safety measures on various National Highways including Bengaluru-Mysuru, Bengaluru-Dindigul, Bengaluru-Belgaum, Bengaluru-Mangaluru and Mangaluru-Karwar.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Alok Kumar stated that the NHAI is gearing up to deploy 60 ANPR cameras at various strategic points along the Expressway by the end of April, to enhance road safety. He highlighted that stringent enforcement of speed limits and penalties for violators has already led to a significant reduction in accident rates.

In the first week of February, NHAI approved the deployment of ANPR cameras at six additional locations, allocating Rs. 3.63 crore for this purpose. These cameras are specifically designed to capture various traffic violations such as overspeeding, lane discipline breaches, wrong side movements, and the actions of two and three-wheelers, among other infractions.

To execute this initiative, Tecsidel India Pvt. Ltd, based in Gurugram, Haryana, has been entrusted with the task of providing the Video Incident Detection and Enforcement System (VIDES). Currently, ANPR cameras have been installed near Amaravathi Hotel, situated close to Ummadahalli Gate, approximately 93 kilometres from Bengaluru.

Rs. 688-crore tendered work

NHAI’s Bengaluru Regional Officer Vilas P. Brahmankar informed Alok Kumar that NHAI is actively addressing safety concerns through various civil works initiatives. Specifically, efforts are being made to install signboards and crash barriers near Maddur in Mandya and Channapatna in Ramanagara, particularly in areas where road undulations pose increased risks of road accidents.

Brahmankar emphasised that NHAI is committed to continually assessing the accident and safety situation along the road and will implement necessary changes accordingly. Additionally, NHAI is undertaking the construction of underpasses and foot-over bridges to facilitate local movement, as part of the ongoing Rs. 688-crore tendered work.