TrafficInfraTech Magazine Linking People Places & Progress
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation is taking up various civil works at accident-prone spots in the city that are identified by the traffic police. A decision has also been taken to conduct joint inspections on different stretches. About 120 ‘black spots’ have been identified in Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda limits. GHMC has proposed measures such as provision of dividers, zebra crossings, lane marking and rumble strips, signage boards and stop lines.
Anil Kumar said that most of the fatal accidents occurred due to rash and negligent driving followed by over speeding, self-hit or fall down, wrong side driving and mobile phone usage while driving.
“We are focusing more on creating traffic awareness and education of commuters and youths. From July 19 to October 6, 2018, the traffic police visited and imparted traffic education to 1,28,185 students of 493 educational institutions and three NCC camps.”
Various corrective measures taken up for road safety:
• Road Safety signages and road markings are provided. Pedestrian/ Pelican signals provided at important locations. Carriage way improved at curves / bottle necks.
• Bollards / Cones are placed at central median and Free Lefts.
• Chevron / Retro Reflective signages got installed at curves.
• Pedestrian platforms got improved for safety of pedestrians.
• Hazard Markers got erected. Rumble strips got laid at speeding areas to control the speed of the vehicle
• Railing on central median is done to prevent the random pedestrian movement on the major roads.
• Foot over bridges / pelican signals proposed and FOBs are under progress at black spot locations like near HPS, Begumpet Green Lands etc.
• Electric poles obstructing the carriage way and vulnerable for accidents were removed with the help of electricity department.
Efficient Traffic Management
With Chennai Corporation getting a nod to implement Red Light Violation Detection (RVLD) system by installing ANPR cameras under Smart City Project, catching of red-light violators and managing traffic at busy junctions are set to get automated.
The ANPR cameras will be powered by Optical Character Recognition technology to read the number plates of violating vehicles. The system will automatically generate challan for payment of a fine which will be sent to the violator. An initial study for preparing the detailed project report will be done across 385 city junctions while the execution will begin at 159 busiest junctions.
The traffic system at these junctions will be automated to be monitored and controlled from a central point. Chennai Traffic Information Centre (CTIC) will be stationed at the police headquarters from where all the traffic signals will be monitored. Instead of manually changing signals or holding green signal for longer periods, this will help regulate alternate routes for ambulances, or for setting up VVIP traffic arrangements.
Raj Cherubal, Chief Executive Officer, Chennai Smart City Limited, said, “JICA did a feasibility study for implementing ITMS in Chennai. There are around 385 junctions out of which 159 junctions from the core area of the city will be taken up in the first phase. We will be deploying technology to figure out the number of vehicles, queue length, etc. Using that, the analytics will determine the best optimal traffic movements. There will be an Area Traffic Control in Traffic Police headquarters and Control Center for the government bus company (MTC). We are in the process of hiring consultant for preparation of DPR.”
Besides, ITMS project includes GSP, cameras, PIS etc for around 3500 buses in the city. There will be digital display signs across the city announcing bus arrivals, timings etc. Additionally, the159 junctions will be redesigned and improved.
Mylvahanan, DCP-Traffic, Greater Chennai Police said, “We are installing CCTV units in the city as a movement. It is the Greater Chennai City Police’s project to ensure safety and security of everyone in the city. We are making all-out efforts to bring the entire city under CCTV surveillance.”
Cameras have now been installed at every major junction and street corners. In many cases they are linked to the police control room of the nearest police station. The unique nature of the Third Eye campaign is the high level of involvement of people from all walks. While some of these have been installed using police funds, some have received MP and MLA local funds while citizens and RWAs have also donated to them for CCTV installation.
Private individuals such as shopkeepers, house owners and Resident Welfare Associations have come forward in great numbers to install street-facing cameras themselves. These cameras are not networked and the data rests with the owners who have installed the camera. In that sense, the Third Eye campaign is one of the largest public-private surveillance networks in the country. As part of the ‘third eye’ campaign traffic police have installed at least 10,000 cameras as of now, out of 15,345 planned.
