150 automated traffic signals by year-end

150 automated traffic signals by year-end

The Hindu

The plan is to ease congestion in the city

# There are 2.5 million vehicles in Bangalore
# Police to get tough with traffic offenders
# Government plans to improve the skills of traffic personnel

Bangalore: The Bangalore Traffic Review Action Committee will install 150 fully automated traffic signals in and around the city by the end of the year to ease traffic congestion.

M.N. Reddi, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic and Security) launching the website www.testtraffic.org on Saturday said that British and Australian software was used in the computerised signals.

The software would help measure the vehicular movement on the road and the sensors on the road would keep a tab on the number of vehicles at any given point of time. On the "never-heard-before" traffic in Bangalore, he said that the city's population was about eight million and there were 2.5 million vehicles. Mr. Reddi said the department was optimistic in arriving at a solution for a better traffic system. "The Chief Minister is keen on bringing about a change and the plans in this regard will be unveiled in another week. Automated signal system, capacity development, training and skill development were being focussed on," he said.

On the need for better traffic enforcement, he said: "The department will get tough with repeat offenders and stringent action would include suspension and cancellation of licence."

He said the Government was also looking at utilising the services of the Traffic Training Institute to improve the skills of traffic personnel. There were about 2,000 traffic policemen and more were needed.

According to M.N. Sree Hari, chairman of TEST, the website would help in educating people on road safety. It would also create awareness on accidents and the preventive steps to be taken. The site would also aid in identifying accident-prone spots and suggest steps to be taken.