Digital cameras to monitor City traffic

Digital cameras to monitor City traffic
Deccan Herald

After the synchronised traffic system and pelican lights, the Bangalore Traffic Police have now hit upon video cameras to make traffic monitoring a scientific affair......

After the synchronised traffic system and pelican lights, the Bangalore Traffic Police have now hit upon video cameras to make traffic monitoring a scientific affair. Four digital video recorders have been installed on a pilot basis at the Coffee Board junction near the GPO to monitor traffic. The DVRs will focus on traffic movement on Ambedkar Road and Infantry Road, covering the stretch from the Coffee Board junction to GPO Circle on one end, and Ali Askar Road junction on the other.

The cameras, acquired at a cost of Rs 2 lakh each, are connected through underground cables to a computer at the office of the Deputy Commissioner (Traffic-East), 100 metres away. The cameras have come as a relief to traffic officials who are now studying and managing traffic from the comfort of their office room. “The cameras not only help us to reduce traffic jams, they also trace and check traffic violations. Two cement mixer trucks that made an unauthorised entry into Ambedkar Road were noticed by us from our office. We instructed our traffic constables on duty to divert the trucks. We will continue the trial for another fortnight before expanding the project to new junctions,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic-East) M A Saleem. Taking another step towards efficient traffic management, the traffic police are planning to introduce an engineering cell, complete with an executive engineer and two assistant executive engineers, to perform minor engineering works for the department.

The idea was mooted to reduce the delay in repair works that invariably follow each time there is a change in traffic design.

“It is a long-drawn procedure to get the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike to even do minor repairs, taking two to three months. This was disrupting our traffic management plans. Therefore, we have sent a proposal to the government to create our own engineering cell which can look into the matter. We are hoping to introduce the cell in the next few months,” said Mr Saleem.