Automated traffic signals to ease traffic flow

Will the Rs 1000 fine curb traffic violations and eventually shrink the death rate due to road accidents? With the introduction of automated traffic signals, how will the cops ensure challans are handed out fairly in the absence of a physical check?

Lata Jain

Almost 5 years ago, Madhav came to India for his wedding. He was driving with his fiancee at Khairatabad. Having stayed in USA for eight years he was wary of the traffic rules. Infact he was the only one among 200 odd car drivers wearing a seat belt. The traffic cop was busy on his mobile. Suddenly he received a message of the Governor’s arrival on that route. Then there was a sudden change of routes and plans. The traffic cop changed the signals and Madhav, who just crossed the signal, was fined. The cop abused him for no fault of his.

With the cops now enforcing a challan of Rs 1000 for violations, their revenue will catapult over five times. The traffic authorities decided to implement GO 108, issued two years ago, steeply hiking the fine for jumping signals. A traffic violator now has to cough up Rs 1000 for offences like jumping signals, cell phone driving, wrong parking and overloading vehicles. Traffic signals which are usually manned by cops at most places in Hyderabad, now will have an automated system at a few junctions. The system is completely unmanned and uses sophisticated technology.

A computer controls the duration of red and green lights at a traffic junction depending on the density of vehicular traffic. The virtual loop cameras of this intelligent traffic signal system will constantly read the density of traffic and adjust the green/red light duration accordingly to ensure that there would be more of red light on directions which have lesser vehicular density and more of green for routes having heavy rush of vehicles. This system, launched as part of the Hyderabad Traffic Integrated Management System is to be extended to all the 221 signals all over the city over a period of time.

Each junction has a pre-programmed signal timing table, depending upon the density of traffic in various directions and at varying time of the day. However, there have been complaints of the traffic signal turning red quickly, causing inconvenience and confusion to motorists. “There are some bugs in the programming and that is the reason such issues are cropping up. These bugs are being rectified and the problems will be solved soon”, said one of the traffic cops near Abids circle.

“The new solar operated traffic signals seem to be efficient. Though one problem is that the signal turns red pretty soon. Otherwise the system is a welcome change”, says Kundan Shah, motorist. Now that the system will become automated, one question which the traffic police will have to answer is how will they verify if the commuters jump signals on purpose and differentiate it with cases which are unintentional?

Answers Amit Garg, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Hyderabad, “We will fix timers on major junctions on a priority basis so that this problem of timing will not be a major hurdle to the commuters. We are well aware of the problems and are working on it too. Stop lines have to be painted clearly so that the commuters need not wait for the traffic cop to point out the line. We will give the commuters the benefit of doubt but will go by the pictures taken by the digital cameras.

After analysis, we will fine the people. The public will receive justice in case of a doubt as the cameras will capture every moment. We can avoid a lot of deaths due to signal jumping if this fine pinches their pockets.”