Intelligent management system to integrate public transport in city

CHENNAI: Even as the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) is working on integrating public transportation in the city, the Greater Chennai Corporation is all set to implement Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS), which would ensure seamless vehicular movement on the city roads apart from improving MTC bus operation.

According to a Chennai Corporation official, the ITMS will be implemented at Rs 650 crore, including funding from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Under the project, the civic body will install cameras at traffic signals, road junctions, and accident-prone areas. Apart from cameras, the traffic signals across the city will be automated to avoid unwanted waiting duration. Cameras in accident-prone areas will reduce the response time by alerting the authorities concerned.

Earlier, the civic body studied as many as 491 traffic junctions across Chennai Metropolitan Area that covers nearby urban local bodies such as Avadi, Tambaram and others. However, it has taken up 165 junctions to implement the project, located in the core city zones.

Presently, the traffic police set the duration of traffic signals manually and vehicles have to wait for the already set duration even if there is no traffic flow. This makes the motorists wait at junctions unnecessarily. Under the project, an Adaptive Traffic Control System (ATCS) will be implemented in which the cameras would be placed along the major roads that would capture and count the number of vehicles plying on the road. The data would be sent in real-time to a specially developed software, which would operate the traffic signals. The duration of red and green signals would be set by the software.

“The cameras will count the number of vehicles automatically and the data obtained from it can be used in future developments. Presently, consultants are to be appointed to do the job,” the official added.

The civic body will adopt a green corridor approach under the project. “The system will ensure a group of traffic signals remain green at a certain time to allow fast-moving traffic. Also to inform motorists about the traffic jams, Variable Messaging Display (VMD) boards will be placed at strategic locations,” he said.

Apart from vehicle movement, public transportation will also be improved as bus tracking systems will be installed at bus stops. The passengers will get information about the arrival of buses using GPS technology. The system will also prevent more buses from arriving at the same time. “The system will help MTC (Metropolitan Transport Corporation) to maintain operational timings. Coordination meetings will be conducted with police and MTC officials.”