Managing traffic, Singapore style

Managing traffic, Singapore style
AMIT S. UPADHYE and AMBARISH B.
BENGALURU


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: Taking its cue from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, the Bengaluru police will modify signals at various junctions in the city and eqip them with CCTV cameras to allow for centralised monitoring of traffic in the city
Come August and as many as 170 signals in 19 corridors, where 70 per cent of the city’s traffic is concentrated, will be monitored from workstations manned by the police, ensuring that the cops have a grip on the situation on the ground. The hub of the operation will be the Traffic Management Centre at the Ashoknagar traffic police station that will have 20 workstations with extended desktop facility
Additional commissioner of police (traffic) Pravin Sood explains that the desktops will have four monitors displaying realtime camera footage of junctions, besides timings, and traffic data of the corridors
The policemen at the workstations will be able to modify signal timings depending on vehicle density in any given area. The traffic signals, with technical help from the BEL, will be programmed to work on five different timings to prevent unnecessary holdups at junctions
“Around 18 police con stables will operate the workstations. We will be ready to roll by August,” says Mr Sood
Some of the major corridors which will see the new improved traffic signals are South End Circle to Police Thimmaiah junction, Shoolay Circle to Electronic City, Hebbal-Kengeri via Outer Ring Road, Shantala Silk junction to Hebbal, Madiwala to Sirsi Circle and Minsk Square to Devanahalli.