Traffic management being automated in city

Is this the same police force that switches off even existing traffic signals and mans intersections manually during peak hours?

Traffic management being automated in city
The traffic police plan to set up an Intelligent Traffic Management System to regulate traffic in the city.
The Times of India


No manual operations of signals, computarised traffic violation booking, and an online traffic management system, to put it simply - an 'Intelligent Traffic Management System'. Come 2006, this is going to be the order of the day in Bangalore. It is the first of its kind in India.
Speaking on the project, K V R Tagore, IGP & Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) says, "the Intelligent Traffic Management System is being implemented as part of our integrated traffic management programme that envisages long term solutions for traffic problems of Bangalore. We plan to implement the programme in a phased manner and by early 2006 we will completely manage traffic in the city on these lines". Synchronised traffic signals are the first step towards the proposed programme. Currently, this system is available between Minerva Circle and Vidhana Soudha. In a few weeks traffic signals along K G Road, M G Road, Airport Road, Tumkur Road, among other important roads, will be syncronised. Later 50 signals will be syncronised followed by the remaining 100 odd ones in the city. Then vital components that support Intelligent Traffic Management Systems will be integrated. Four sub-stations to monitor traffic movements will be set up in four traffic circles i.e. north, south, east and west, and a central station will be put in place that will coordinate all the online management. A software developed specially to manage traffic regulation and other related operations will be installed for complete automation. The traffic junctions will be operated through embedded microchips with sensors that receive and generate data on traffic volume and regulate signaling in coordination with corresponding traffic junctions.

All the traffic corridors (sub-circles in north, south, east and west traffic circles of the city) will be equipped with cameras that will produce images and videos, which will be transmitted to all the monitoring stations. Based on the information fed to the system, the software will prompt the chips installed in the junctions on signaling and time duration automatically. For example, at the traffic junction at Anil Kumble Circle, stoppage time is 100 seconds. If the time is around 9 am, the number of vehicles coming into M G Road from the cricket stadium side is heavy and the vehicles queue up for almost a kilometer. The images and videos alert the monitoring stations and consecutive signals about the jam. The signals will automatically respond to the jams and allocate the required time durations for clearing such traffic jams.

In case of emergencies or accidents, the accident identification cameras will alert the rescue teams automatically to get the victim to the nearest hospital within the 'golden hour' by Cobra teams, ambulances and investigating officers deployed throughout the city. Display boards at all important junctions will be put up that will give adequate information on the traffic situation in the city. Traffic jams, air travel updates, train updates and many other such information will be made available. Tagore adds that this system in totality will reduce stoppage times to a substantial level as the signals are monitored based on traffic accumulation at the respective junctions.

Towards automating the system…
Software for traffic regulation to be installed for complete automation
Syncronisation of all the traffic junctions
Five monitoring stations to be set up for operations
Cameras to be put up in all traffic corridors connected to monitoring stations
Display boards that give updates on traffic status in the city to be put up in major junctions

Heli-hopping
The proposal for movement of VVIPs through choppers in the city has received consent by the Home Ministry. In the days to come, VVIPs including, the President, Prime Minister, Governors, heads of foreign states, and Chief Ministers will use the aerial route to reach places in the city. Four places including, Jakkur, IISc, Whitefield, and Electronic City will have helipads to accommodate 16 seater choppers.