The smart signal project is again in the dock with the main contractor, Hyderabad-based Stanpower, being served a letter of termination by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC).
The letter was served a couple of weeks ago and the contractor approached the High Court to get it quashed. The court’s hearing is scheduled to take place early next week. But this has put uncertainty on the ambitious project. If the court rules in favour of the authorities concerned, then the GVMC has to go for a re-tender process, which means beginning afresh. And if it goes the other way then the conflict might deepen.
The project was envisaged and started in 2013, hit a roadblock when 24 of its erected smart signal poles and CCTV cameras were destroyed by the very severe cyclonic storm Hudhud in October 2014. Since then the project has been progressing at a snail’s pace, according to GVMC sources.
While the GVMC officials say that the letter for termination has been issued due to the inordinate delay by the vendor, the latter says that the GVMC and the police have not cooperated and even the site for erection of the signals has not been specified on time.
The project has been given to the vendor on a tripartite agreement among the vendor, the GVMC and the Police Department on a BOT (build, operate and transfer) basis.
Police sources and the GVMC say that of the assigned 94 junctions, basic signals have been installed in 36 junctions and 16 blinkers erected across the city.
The vendors point out that 80 signals were erected so far out of the allotted 94.
The signals are supposed to be smart and the vendor has installed basic signals and about 50 CCTV cameras have been installed.
According to the vendor, though the signals are basic they can be upgraded with IOT (internet of things) app.
Pilot project
Smart signals do not come cheap. The basic model costs around ₹5 lakh and the high-end models that are being envisaged for important junctions such as Satyam Junction, Maddilapalem, NAD Kotha Road and Gajuwaka cost about ₹90 lakh, says Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) K. Mahendra Patrudu.
It is learnt that the GVMC is mulling over a pilot project of smart signals in at least 10 major junctions and the funding will be borne from the smart city funds.
But as of now, everything has come to a standstill, and a lot depends on the court order, according to a senior official from the GVMC.
