Nagpur: Nagpur's ambitious Intelligent Integrated Traffic Management System (IITMS) project, valued at Rs 197.09 crore, is set to miss another deadline. The latest completion target of June 30, 2026, is fast approaching, but a majority of the work remains unfinished. An RTI reply obtained by activist Abhay Kolarkar from the Nagpur Municipal Corporation's electrical department has revealed the slow pace of execution despite repeated extensions and substantial public investment.
Project Overview and Current Status
The project, awarded to Keltron, was envisioned as a citywide traffic modernisation initiative covering 171 junctions. It includes adaptive traffic signals, surveillance cameras, automatic traffic monitoring, and a central command-and-control system. However, RTI data shows that work has been completed at only 10 junctions so far. According to the department's status report, work is "in progress" at 57 junctions, while another 40 locations are listed as "work in progress," indicating nearly 100 intersections are awaiting completion despite being under implementation for several years.
Pre-existing Infrastructure and Delays
What makes the delay more striking is that a significant portion of the groundwork was already completed before Keltron took over. Officials said the Nagpur Smart City and Sustainable Development Corporation Ltd (NSCDCL) earlier replaced nearly 40 traffic signals on two major corridors — from Automotive Square to Airport T-point and along Central Avenue. "These are cantilever-based modern signals and can be readily integrated into the IITMS network. The contractor did not have to build the infrastructure from scratch at these locations. Despite this advantage, progress has been painfully slow," said a senior official from the electrical department.
Financial Discrepancies
Financial figures disclosed through the RTI raise further questions over the project's pace. While the state sanctioned Rs 197.09 crore for IITMS implementation, only Rs 34.24 crore was spent till April 30, 2026, amounting to less than one-fifth of the approved project cost. The city's existing traffic signal network continues to suffer in the meantime. Of 171 traffic signals installed across Nagpur, 15 remain non-functional. Several have been shut for over a year due to flyover construction, damaged underground cables, cement road works, and intersection redevelopment.
Affected Junctions and Maintenance Costs
Key junctions such as Congress Nagar T-point, Ravi Nagar, Dighori Square, Gangabai Ghat, Bhande Plot, and Hasanbagh Chowk remain affected. Ironically, the NMC spent Rs 1.36 crore on signal repairs over the last three years, even as intersections await integration with the IITMS. With only days left before the June 30 deadline, civic officials privately admitted that another extension appears inevitable.
