New transport plan out of Smart City project

As a massive infrastructure is being planned to implement ITS in Chennai, it is learnt that the project is likely to be implemented by the beginning of the next financial year.
For representational purposes for Smart City  (Express Illustrations)
For representational purposes for Smart City (Express Illustrations)

CHENNAI: The Intelligent Transport System (ITS), aimed at using modern computers and communications to make travel smarter, faster, safer and more convenient, will not be implemented under the Smart City initiative, official sources told Express.

The Rs 108.12-crore project was initially listed to be taken up under the Smart City initiative. But this project was deleted from the list as it will now be taken up, using the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funds.

JICA earlier this year signed an agreement with the Union government to fund `500 crore for the Intelligent Transport System.

It is learnt from the Chennai Corporation sources that the intelligent traffic management was envisaged across 435 junctions in the city, of which 159 were to be covered in the first phase.
Similarly, the transport management system, on the other hand, has been envisaged for the whole of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation’s fleet and depots, also in a phased manner.

“This has been removed from smart city proposal as work is now being taken up by JICA,” Corporation sources said.

Interestingly, the upgrade of the current system of traffic control of Chennai Traffic was planned earlier also.

The ‘Integrated Traffic Management System Project’, which includes components such as installation of 100 CCTV cameras, establishment of traffic control room, signal coordination and automatic number plate recognition, priority signal movement of VIP and emergency vehicles, could not be implemented due to
legal issues.

The project cost estimated at `150 crore and planned to be implemented on the basis of build, operate and transfer (BOT) for five years, was suspended due to legal issues with the contractor since April 2014.
It is learnt that the state government and JICA have initially prepared a strategy to use the existing ITS more effectively, once it is implemented.

The aim is to introduce the ITS, which can be implemented in short period, and to start operation of the introduced ITS besides preparation of development of ITS which require longer period for implementation.
As a massive infrastructure is being planned to implement ITS in Chennai, it is learnt that the project is likely to be implemented by the beginning of the next financial year.

Previous attempts
The ‘Integra-ted Traffic Manage-ment System Project’, which included compo-nents such as 100 CCTV cameras and a control room, was dropped due to legal issues in 2014

Fact sheet

  1. Rs 108-crore Intelligent Transport System removed from Chennai Smart City list
  2.  It will now be taken up under JICA fund assistance
  3. Action taken to prepare detailed project report
  4. Current average speed of vehicles is less than 30 km/hr
  5. 200,000-plus vehicles pass through NH 45 and Inner Ring Road

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