Road Ease: City cops get app to update traffic status, road closures

CHENNAI: Chennai commissioner Shankar Jiwal on Thursday inaugurated a mobile app for police personnel to update the status of the traffic movements and road blocks in Chennai, which would in turn update it in Google map.

The app, ‘Road Ease’, would get updates on development from 151 points - including work of SWD, highways, CMRL, Chennai corporation, EB, Metrowater across the city through Chennai police, which in turn will get updated in Google maps. The police personnel will update on planned closure, unplanned closure and sudden closure arising out of various situation on the road.

“This app will help the Google map to update the developments on the roads much faster. Now if Google map take one hour to update thedevelopments on the road, this app will help to update within 15 minutes,” noted Shankar Jiwal.

Google Map does not show closed roads immediately and those who are using it are not aware of the closure or diversions. Sometimes in view of a sudden development like agitation, a vehicle breakdown or major accident, a road needs to be closed immediately and there is no time to give a press note. Even if it is put on social media, road users might not notice it. In view of the above difficulties various options were explored.

City police in association with Lepton, a private firm, came up with an arrangement in which GCTP will inform Lepton through theapp ‘Road Ease’ about the closure of the road and its duration, a press note from the Chennai police said.