Pune’s automated driving testing track and proposed Road Safety Institute at Dive in Purandar taluka are being expedited after Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik inspected the projects and directed officials to make the facilities available to citizens at the earliest.
The two projects are being developed through the Pune Regional Transport Office. During his visit, Sarnaik reviewed the progress of work, discussed the status with transport officials and sought information on the steps required to complete and operationalise the facilities. He also instructed officials to address obstacles affecting the work and accelerate the projects.
The automated driving testing track is intended for candidates applying for driving licences. Driving tests at the facility will use computer systems and sensor-based technology to assess applicants’ driving skills. The system is expected to examine practical vehicle-handling ability, compliance with traffic rules and control over the vehicle through a technical process.
According to the report, reducing human intervention is a central objective of the automated testing system. The transport department expects computer-based assessment to improve transparency and objectivity in the licence-testing process by reducing the scope for manual influence and creating a more standardised evaluation of candidates.
The proposed Road Safety Institute at the same location will focus on road safety, traffic engineering and safe-driving training. Its stated objectives include building awareness of traffic rules among drivers and citizens, communicating the importance of safe behaviour on roads and providing training aimed at reducing accidents.
The project has been proposed amid concerns linked to the increasing number of vehicles, speeding and disregard for traffic rules. The report states that the institute is expected to support training and awareness initiatives for drivers and other road users, although a detailed operational plan, opening date and project cost were not provided in the supplied information.
For driving-licence applicants in Pune district, the automated track could shift the testing process from a primarily human-supervised assessment towards a technology-supported system. The report does not specify the number of testing lanes, the sensors or software to be deployed, the expected daily capacity, or whether applicants will receive a detailed digital record of their performance.
The inspection was attended by Pune Regional Transport Officer Archana Gaikwad, Deputy Regional Transport Officers Swapnil Bhosale and Sandeep Khadse, Motor Vehicle Inspector Nilesh Zhade and other transport department officials. The next stated step is to complete the ongoing work and bring both facilities into public service as early as possible.
