Sensors to check signal violations

Plans are in place to record all violations only via CCTV cameras and serving e-challans to all violators

The junctions picked up for phase II of sensors installation are: Madina X Roads, Chaderghat, Malakpet Junction, Mahbubnagar X Roads, RTC X Roads, Inner Ring Road, Sangeeth X Roads, Narayanaguda Y Junction, IS Sadan, Dhobighat Junction, Campapet Junction, Karmanghat Junction, Bible House, Gandhi Nagar, Rani Nagar, Paradise, Bowenpally, Koti Womens College, City College, Bahadurpura X Roads, Shahalibanda X Roads, Kesavagiri Junction, Chandrayangutta Junction, Mehdipatnam and Tolichowki.

Signal violation is the most blatant abuse which we all commit whenever traffic cops aren’t around or are busy looking elsewhere. This was indicated in a recent study by the traffic police. The cops had filed most number of challans against this particular violation. Few cops admit that though they are armed with digital cameras, it is hard to spot all the violations. Now, all this is going to change as the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in association with the traffic police will setup automated signal violation sensors at key junctions across the city, which will help catch violators.

How do these sensors function?

Some of the sensors are already active at signals in Khairatabad, Panjagutta, SR Nagar, Ravindra Bharathi, MJ Market, Jubilee Hills Check Post, KBR Park, CTO and Patny. These sensors are installed inside the road and are linked to the traffic signals. As soon as signal turns red, the sensors activate and vehicles that jump the signals will be captured by the CCTV cameras. The captured footage will be sent to the e-challan wing of the traffic police.

“Though the sensors are installed in ten places, some of these are not working due to the ongoing Metro Rail Works. They will be up and operational once the works at these junctions are completed,” informed a cop in the e-Challan wing.

Sensors to come up in 25 new junctions

Plans are in place to install the automated sensors in 25 busiest junctions across the city which had registered the maximum number of signal violations. Recently, the traffic police completed the survey and identified the junctions where the next phase of installation works would take place.

“There are 400 major junctions in the city and Hyderabad Traffic Integrated Management System (HTRIMS) is up and running in 225 junctions and works are going on in other junctions. The sensors will be installed in all the junctions that were retrofitted with HTRIMS in a phased manner,” informs an official with GHMC.

e-challans are the future

Currently the traffic cops are using both challans and e-challans. But plans are in place to record all violations only via CCTV cameras and serving e-challans to all violators. The department is planning to procure more CCTV cameras to be installed in all junctions of the city.