BMC to appoint consultant for intelligent traffic signals

The BMC will appoint a consultant for turning conventional traffic signals into intelligent traffic signals.

The consultant will be tasked with upgrading the 70 existing signals into a fully adaptive traffic control system (FATC), under which these signals can automatically adapt to unexpected changes in traffic conditions.

The move will help in reducing stops and delays at traffic junctions, curtailing the delay in travel time, and improving air quality by reducing emission from vehicles.

The consultant will take up detailed traffic engineering study by data collection, its analysis, topographic survey, traffic and pedestrian counts for upgrading signals and environment studies.

According to data from BMC’s Traffic Department, there are 652 signal junctions across the city. Currently, 258 of these signals are already converted into automatic traffic control systems and remaining are functional in conventional fixed time mode systems. Now the work on turning the remaining signals into smart systems will be taken up in phases.

“The smart system will help adjust signal timings automatically as per changes in traffic. In conventional systems the signal timings need to be operated manually based on traffic conditions. The project will also help in curbing air pollution as vehicle emission will be reduced,” said an official from BMC.

The consultant will also prepare a report of traffic environmental study, junction and corridor inventory, speed and delay survey.

The project is part of National Clean Air Program’s (NCAP) strategy to tackle the air pollution problem. In the city action plan, “Synchronize Traffic movement/Introduce Intelligent Traffic System for lane driving” is one of the components under which BMC will initiate the change in signals.