Smart traffic lights may cut travel time
BENGALURU: Whitefield, KR Puram and Mahadevapura will be the first areas to see the début of the ambitious Intelligence Traffic Signal System in the city. As many as 25 traffic signals in these localities -which are part of the IT corridor -will turn smart in the next three months.
A key component of B-TRAC phase II, the system will have auto mated traffic lights which gauge the amount of traffic and change from red, amber and green. The system manages vehicular flow through actuation by using cameras that can cap ture vehicle presence and modify the signal countdown time depending on real-time vehicle movement.
The city traffic police have floated tenders to install the system at 25 signals to begin with out of the 353 signal lights in the city. The system will be synchronised to countdown timers. If a signal is timed to remain green for 50 seconds and there is not much traffic flow after 30 seconds, the loop shifts to another signal in the junction.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) R Hitendra said that the police had to weigh options to avoid wastage of green time at sig nal lights: one, by manually observing vehicle movement; second, by installing sensors beside the roads; and lastly, installing sensors to cameras at signals.
The work of installing sensors to traffic cameras has already begun in the East division. Traffic signals in the city being very close to one another, vehicle actuation will be done area-wise. The Central Business District (CBD) area, for example, is to be treated as a separate entity because it has its own traffic ecosystem. Each area will have signals coordinated at the area-level.
The state-run Bharat Electronics (BEL) has piloted actuation at four junctions -MS Ramaiah Hospital, ISRO, Devasandra and BEL junctions. BEL had, however, used sensors on roadside, a technology that is now deemed outdated.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (traffic and planning) R I Kasim Raja said that sensors on the roadside -like the BEL pilot project would not work in our conditions as it could be damaged or removed during road work.
Transport expert Pawan Mulukutla said that while technology is an excellent idea, it would only be a management tool and will not do away with congestion.Besides, since signals would not be managed manually , the signal stops will not be unduly long, he added.
The question is whether the system will be switched off when VIP motorcades are on the move.
A key component of B-TRAC phase II, the system will have auto mated traffic lights which gauge the amount of traffic and change from red, amber and green. The system manages vehicular flow through actuation by using cameras that can cap ture vehicle presence and modify the signal countdown time depending on real-time vehicle movement.
The city traffic police have floated tenders to install the system at 25 signals to begin with out of the 353 signal lights in the city. The system will be synchronised to countdown timers. If a signal is timed to remain green for 50 seconds and there is not much traffic flow after 30 seconds, the loop shifts to another signal in the junction.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) R Hitendra said that the police had to weigh options to avoid wastage of green time at sig nal lights: one, by manually observing vehicle movement; second, by installing sensors beside the roads; and lastly, installing sensors to cameras at signals.
The work of installing sensors to traffic cameras has already begun in the East division. Traffic signals in the city being very close to one another, vehicle actuation will be done area-wise. The Central Business District (CBD) area, for example, is to be treated as a separate entity because it has its own traffic ecosystem. Each area will have signals coordinated at the area-level.
The state-run Bharat Electronics (BEL) has piloted actuation at four junctions -MS Ramaiah Hospital, ISRO, Devasandra and BEL junctions. BEL had, however, used sensors on roadside, a technology that is now deemed outdated.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (traffic and planning) R I Kasim Raja said that sensors on the roadside -like the BEL pilot project would not work in our conditions as it could be damaged or removed during road work.
Transport expert Pawan Mulukutla said that while technology is an excellent idea, it would only be a management tool and will not do away with congestion.Besides, since signals would not be managed manually , the signal stops will not be unduly long, he added.
The question is whether the system will be switched off when VIP motorcades are on the move.
