Abstract

This assignment involves investigating and researching about the benefit of Computer and IT
in Traffic Management for the Bangalore City Traffic Police. Research includes the features,
advantages and disadvantages that have been involved and a brief study how traffic police
control the road traffic in the city. It also involves what type of technology they used in
making a better Traffic Management in the city and the partners who helped in developing
and implementing the technology to this IT City are Bharat Electronics Ltd, Mapunity
Information Services, Bosch Limited, Zicom Electronic Security Limited, Airtel, BSNL.
Introduction

Bangalore is one of the largest city where majority of IT Parks are developing in a
larger scale, which is a busy city with an increasing amount of population. The people needed
to be transported from one place to the other, so need of transportation. Transportation for a
big population means need of vehicles and what if there is no control of transportation that is
a big problem of traffic jams. To control this traffic Government of Karnataka has appointed
Traffic Police, which is a sub division of police. In this assignment we will come to know
how Traffic Police controls the traffic with the help of technology and what types of
technology they use. There is a traffic control room which has the control on almost of the
traffic signals. It’s BEL who started over with PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and
moved to an 8-bit microcontroller System in Year 2000 and upgraded to a 16-bit
microcontroller for developing traffic signal system during the year 2004. Even live traffic
information is available online through http://www.btis.in/live.htm
Traffic Management Centre

This is the place where the traffic police sit and view what’s happening on road. This traffic
management centre is equipped with latest technology products. It is the place where all the
information about the transportation network is collected and combined with other control
data to manage the complete network and to produce traveller information. 163 of 299
vehicle actuated signals on which 100 of them are in vehicle actuated mode, are connected to
this centre. It has got 5 large LCD Screens fitted and connected to computers. The LCD
Screen shows a grid of 9 small screens which shows up different areas in real-time where
surveillance cameras are fitted in traffic signals. Any one of the small screens can be enlarged
and seen in particular. These people use mainly 2 types of camera.

1.) Surveillance Camera

These cameras are fixed on an eight metre tall pole near the traffic signal, mainly on
junctions. These Cameras are German-Made by BOSCH, can be rotated 360 degree
with the help of a mouse or joystick from Traffic Management Centre and also can be
zoomed up to 1.5Kilometers of distance along the road and with this mainly traffic
violated vehicle numbers can be captured. And if any traffic police miss the violated
vehicle, he can be informed using wireless device. Presently there are about 80
surveillance cameras fitted around Bangalore and planning to go up to 400.
 2.) Enforcement Camera
These cameras are fitted near the main junctions and are strictly for enforcement
purposes. It takes pictures of traffic violated vehicles mainly their number plates.
These cameras use software called Auto Number Plate Reader (ANPR) and it helps in
identifying the number plates of the vehicles. There are about 5 Enforcement cameras
fixed at present and about 200 violations are caught but only around the half
violations are registered as there are some technical errors in registering the
violations. Traffic Management Centre can control up to 100 Enforcement cameras.

All the cameras are connected through dedicated lines provided by BSNL.
Surveillance cameras are used for real-time monitoring purposes and Enforcement Cameras
are used for recording and beaming traffic violation data.BEL is the one who setups and
maintains the cameras. The Software BVMS (Bosch Video Management System) for traffic
monitoring purposes is provided by BOSCH.

Apart from that traffic police use other technologies like Vehicle Actuated
Signal Systems (VASS), Smart Traffic Signals, Area Traffic Control System (ATC), Traffic
Scan, Enforcement Management System (EMS), Audible Alarms, Smart cards, IVRS
(Interactive Voice Response System), Complaint Redressal System (CRS), and also planning
to implement Variable Messaging Systems (VMS). All this comes under Intelligent Transport
System (ITS) and the technology providers are BEL and Mapunity.

Vehicle Actuated Signal Systems

The System facilitates faster movement of traffic and every “time cycle” (Lights Green/Red
for 90seconds in peak hours and 35 seconds otherwise) will be monitored and administered
by sensor driven signal posts. The density of vehicles is gauged by the sensors at a given time
cycle and the signal is referred to the traffic signal posts. That is the signal automatically
changes depending upon the vehicles waiting at the signal. All the vehicle actuated signals
are connected to traffic management centre.

Smart Signals
All the signals fixed in the city are Smart Signal there are about 700 signals in the city and
about 299 of them are vehicle actuation capable in which about 163 are all ready connected
and in working condition. All the other signals are having timer controllers fixed to them.
They work according to the timings, for example lights will be green/red for 90 seconds in
peak hours and 35 seconds for others and signals will be on “ON MODE” form 7am to 11pm
and in blinking mode from 11pm to 7am. Differentiated programmes are loaded on particular
signals according to area wise and traffic rush. All these signals are powered using solar
energy. Solar panels are fixed for most of signals and have a battery backup of 6hours and are
connected to power grid as a backup and non-solar signals are also there and is connected to a
power grid that also has a battery backup.

Area Traffic Control System (ATC)

There are detector loops beneath the road surface, which can measure number of vehicles
passing through each signal. The time period for green signal keeps changing depending up
on the density of traffic. This will facilitate commuters to get green signals all through the
stretch and there will be good flow of traffic. It allows signal faults to be rectified faster.
This has been developed and installed by BEL under guidance of C-DAC (Centre for
Development of Advanced Computing).

Traffic Scan

It uses video analytics along with mobile phone density and it also collects data acquired for
GPS fixed BMTC buses to provide inputs about the traffic scenario. The data gained from
these are processed to gather details about average speed and congestion rate on road. This
can be relayed to users via Short Messaging Service (SMS) and VMS boards.

Enforcement Management Systems (EMS)

There are about 280 Blackberry for enforcement management and planning to introduce 400
more. These are mainly used for on-spot violation fines. The policemen will be equipped with
a Blackberry device and a Bluetooth printer for giving out a receipt for the fine. When a
violation is been caught, it is been entered to main server which is located at Traffic
Management Centre via Blackberry and it collects the data of the violator and checks for
previous violations and gives out a printed record of the fine, which the violator has to pay
for violation of traffic. According to ‘Times Of India’ report for implementing Blackberry
services they invested 1.3 Crore Rupees and they got about 25Crore rupees as fine in year
2008 in which Blackberry Service has generated about 5 Crore Rupees with just 280
Blackberries.

Audible Alarms

Audible alarms are fitted in a traffic signal when the traffic signal changes to red and if the
zebra crossing is safe for pedestrians to cross the road. The audible alarm gives out a beep
which last for about 10-15 seconds depends on the width of the road. According to ‘Times Of
India’ ,In year 2008 about 864 accidents were reported at traffic junctions, it has been
reduced to 323 as if now by implementing this system, that is almost more than 50% of
accidents has been reduced so that’s an effective system. By now it has been fitted over 100
signal junctions which are under experimental process.

Smart Cards

Smart Cards have replaced Driving Licence (DL) and Vehicle Registration Certificates (RC).
The smart card is embedded with a microprocessor chip, with a memory of 4KB. This smart
card holds all the information needed such as Name, age and address of the License Holder,
Registration details, Purchase Details about the vehicle, previous Owners (if any), traffic
violation record etc, which is very helpful for both police and the people, because the owner
need not to carry all the documents only the smart card is enough instead of all the papers.
The officials will also get real-time information about the Smart Card Holder.

Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS)

Traffic police is having 2 numbers for this purpose as if now. It is used for recording citizens
complaints, Citizens can call and report traffic violations and traffic jams, it records the
message in one minutes of time. When we call the number there will be a pre-recorded
message saying ” Welcome to Bangalore Traffic police Complaint centre, Please record the
complaint or violation within 1 minute”

Complaint Redressal System (CRS)

It is a web-based complaint redressal system that has been created to address various
problems and broadcast information to the user. An extended desktop which integrates all the
information will be handled at the TMC. According to ‘Times of India’ about 100 policemen
will be trained to operate the system at the TMC.

Variable Messaging Service

There are plans to implement this service. Mainly they are message boards which help the
people in roads by giving information about road conditions, traffic conditions, Safety
Messages, Speed restriction and directions etc. This system will be connected to Traffic
management Centre and will be controlled from there.
Advantages and Disadvantages

One of the main advantage is reduced traffic congestion, reduced accidents and its fuel
saving, helps in reducing pollution. The traffic signals use very low power consumption as
they use Light Emitting Diode (LED). Plans and times are easily programmable at sites, so
easy access to the signals. Audible alarms help to reduce the accidents in the junctions.
Intelligent Traffic systems helps in a very good traffic flow and the main thing is these
systems are cost effective and helps in raising the funds using the fine amount that are
imposed on violators. Even for VIP call or an emergency there is function known as
‘HURRY CALL’ used in these situations. It helps to clear the road fast making a way for the
situation

The main disadvantages is Technical Education ,people in traffic police need to be trained
for using these systems and it needs some time and for the function ’HURRY CALL’ it has to
be done manually ,it can be overcome by installing detection devices for detecting
ambulances, fire force etc. And for Blackberries battery backup is a main problem and also
for the smart cards it takes time to implement for the old Driving Licence and Vehicle
Registration Certificate holder to change it from papers to smart card.

Conclusion