Page 52 - TrafficInfraTech Magazine - Linking People Places & Progres

SMART CITIES

income group is largely dependent on quality of life - via the traditional route
public transport, this segment might of planning and implementation and
not pay for non-fare activities such as operations/maintenance, in iterations.
kiosks etc. Moreover, many labourers We have limited resources and time to
have possibly migrated back to their catch up. So newer technologies can
hometowns – so their availability in help shorten the cycle, help monitor
cities is going to be lower. “ Drop projects and upkeep of infrastructure
in ridership also reduces advertising being created and also help gather
and real estate revenues as footfalls useful data with very limited staff
decrease. Altogether, revenues and funds. Drones and satellites
for public/bus transport will drop can help keep an eye on our water
affecting their sustenance and putting bodies and precious resources from
pressure on state finances,” explains encroachments. Telematics, data/IoT
Bhatnagar. etc can help proactively manage health
When it comes to mobility pattern, and control spread of diseases.”
The focus should it is expected that the demand for According to Bhatnagar, the role
be on embedding private modes of transport – Auto/ of technology is likely to get more
technology in Private cabs/ private cars/bikes will pronounced as cities see technology as
increase. This will put more load
city systems for on the road and will lead to traffic the key to managing and monitoring
crises. COVID-19 is an unique situation
not only BAU congestion. The intent of using public that has impacted all aspects of city
(Business as transport would get a set-back. life and operations, resulting in stress
Usual) operations “Hence, a lot of digital transformation testing most city systems. While, we
for efficiency & that was to promote multi-modality, are already facing this pandemic, there
is a possibility of other challenges in
journey trip-time optimisation, greater
productivity but use of public transport might get future like earthquake, floods, social
also for proper a set-back for some period till the unrest, terrorist incidents, vector borne
management time people resume and return to epidemics that would need effective
using public transport. In the interim,
management and monitoring. In such
during difficult technology can be used to monitor situations, technology has come to be
times. The drive traffic even more than before, enforce a big relief and support.
for improving containment zone travel, use smart Drone based surveillance of curfew
cameras for enabling faster thermal
efficiency and scanning or use of face masks, advise areas, technology based detection of
cost control would on bottlenecks and re-routing etc. suspicious vehicles, goods or persons,
delivering essential relief and services
be imperative During these months Smart City using smart phones & drones or
given the difficult components Central Control Centres, secure vehicles; IOT based monitoring
new surveillance technologies,
economic drones, telematics, etc are being put of health & operation of assets such
as utilities during normal and stress
situation for to multiple applications. What are the times; location tracing, activation and
most government impacts on Smart city projects? mobilisation of emergency assets/
authorities, “These technologies are tools resources, dashboarding; inter-
department communication etc.
arising out of the that could help leapfrog to a better are large and important technology-
level of governance,” says Cherubal.
pandemic. “These are not substitute for regular based solutions that could likely get
planning, design, infra and services. But expedited and developed as cities
- Bhatnagar technology can help shorten the cycle of try to get a faster and stronger grip
this development. Other countries have on city-wide systems under one
had many decades to reach a level of integrated platform.

52 April-May 2020 / TrafficInfraTech www.trafficinfratech-com-500653.hostingersite.com