Digital traffic cops will manage chaotic roads

Digital traffic cops will manage chaotic roads

The Times of India


Bangalore: Come December, 100 video cameras will be placed strategically at 100 junctions located in different parts of the city. These cameras will be linked to giant screens fitted at an upcoming 24/7 traffic command centre that is coming up at a cost of Rs 2 crore. It will be housed in the Public Utility Buildings (PUB) on MG Road.

“With the heavy vehicular traffic in Bangalore, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to monitor it using policemen on the roads. Therefore, we are going in for a 24/7 command centre and help desk. Policemen will monitor vehicular movement on the computer screens round the clock and take steps to ease congestion by issuing necessary directions to the traffic cops on the road,’’ DCP, traffic (east) M A Saleem said.

The centre will encompass nearly 23 lakh vehicles, 4,500 km of roads and 600 junctions in the city.
The number of cameras will increase as per the need. Cameras have already been installed at Infantry road, Ambedkar road, Airport road and Coffee Board junction to monitor the traffic flow.

Another reason for the project is to ease traffic congestion during the construction of Bangalore metro. With the centre in place, it will be easy for the police to control traffic when the project is in progress.
Luckily, funds and manpower are will not constrain this ambitious project. “The state government has already earmarked Rs 44 crore for the BTrac project, of which Rs 2 crore will be used for the command centre. Apart from this, 992 traffic policemen are being recruited. Out of them, 20 to 30 persons will be posted to man the command centre. We need time to set up the command centre, with screens and adequate infrastructure. We hope to accomplish it before the end of 2006,’’ Saleem added.

The command centre will also have a help desk to help out commuters. “It’s like a call centre. Round the clock traffic policemen will handle calls received at the helpline and answer traffic related queries from the public,’’ Saleem said.

If you are in Jayanagar and want to reach the Airport, you call the help desk and ask the police personnel about vehicular movement on the route. If there is a jam somewhere, the policemen will advise the caller to either change the route or travel after a while.