BENGALURU:In the next two years, the city will witness a more efficient traffic management system powered by Japanese technology. A proposal for the implementation of a new ‘advanced traffic information and management system’ to be funded by the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA), has now been approved by the State Government. JICA will fund Rs 72.86 crore or JPY 1.276 billion for the system.
The Government of Japan had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding this with the Government of India on January 24, 2018. “The Government of Karnataka is pleased to accord its approval for the project and award the consultancy services for implementing ‘Advanced Traffic Information and Management System in Core Bengaluru’ to M/s Nippon Koei Co. Ltd, Japan,” the order signed by Lalithabai K, Under Secretary to the government, Urban Development Department, said.
The project is expected to be completed within one year from February 2019 and will be operational from October 2020. While the installation will be funded by the Japanese Government the maintenance for the next five years will be by the Government of India.
JICA’s Intelligent Transport Systems have helped several cities in South Asia in countries like Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand. “This will be the first time that ‘Management by Origin-Destination Related Adaptation for Traffic Optimisation’ will be implemented. This system will be installed at 29 junctions along MG Road, Old Madras Road and Hosur Road to improve overall mobility by providing efficient signalling,” an officer from DULT, the nodal agency,said.
Signals to have variable timing based on density
The traffic signals operating currently have fixed signal timers irrespective of the number of vehicles along the roads. But with this new Japanese technology, signals will automatically change according to the number of vehicles in a particular junction. This will alleviate traffic troubles by coordinating the signals and factoring in pedestrian crossing. Through its various components, this system will provide a signal-less (or green) corridor to motorists at the three stretches, the officer said. Under the Bengaluru Traffic Information Centre (B-TIC), a new system will help reduce congestion length which currently is 550m at the longest, by 30% at interchanges facing congestion. “Under B-TIC, the QMS will be installed along 82 junctions where it will also have CCTV cameras. The QMS will measure the length and size of the vehicles and it will analyse the exact number and type of vehicles. Sensors will be installed for every 50, 100 and 150 m distance of the roads so that it can analyse the actual traffic congestion and update the integrated traffic management centre,” a senior official said.
Variable message signs will be installed at Silk Board Junction, KR Puram Bridge and Trinity Metro Station where it will give a heads-up display of traffic congestion and estimated travel time for certain destinations. It will be based on real-time inputs received at the traffic management centre. Currently, both BMTC and traffic police have their traffic management systems but this one will be an integrated centre.
Junctions for Smart Traffic
MG Road Corridor: Queen’s statue Circle, Anil Kumble Circle, Arts and Craft Circle , Mayo Hall , Webbs Circle, Trinity Circle, General K S Thimmayya Road, Begum Mahal, Adigas (Ulsoor Road, DIckenson Road), Manipal Centre, Kamaraj Road, Shivajinagar Intersection (BRV) Hosur Road Corridor: Opera Junction, Ashirwadam Junction, Old Police Junction, Ashok Nagar Junction (Shoolay Circle), Johnson Market Junction, Mother Theresa Junction, Campbell Road Junction, D’Souza Circle Junction, Garuda Mall Junction Old Madras Road Corridor: Kensington Junction, Tamari Kannan Junction, Anjeneya Temple Junction, Om Road and Double Road Junction (Police Station Junction), Om Road and Indiranagar 100ft Junction, CMH Road-Adarsh Theatre Junction, Swami Vivekananda Road-Cambridge Road-Bazaar Street, Om Road and Indiranagar 80 Ft Rd Junction