In our latest Technology for People series, we narrate how IT is improving effective policing.Using simple IT solutions aid in reducing traffic violations and decongesting arterial roads.

The traffic management centres has different software and hardware components built by technology firms like MindTree, CMS Infosystems, Bharat Electronics, Robert Bosch, IBM and Cisco. Also, traffic density is updated onto maps from Google Earth so that a commuter can identify congested roads before hand.

“Traffic problem can’t be solved by technology alone. The infrastructure also has to be improved. However, we can use technology to improve management and compliance,” Sood added. The department is gearing up to set up nearly 400 signals which will be vehicle-actuated, networked, adaptive, controlled and monitored by the Traffic Management Centre.

Technology used at SIGNALS/TMCs
• Cameras placed at signals for traffic management and rule enforcement. A policeman at the traffic management hub observes these cameras placed at junctions

• If he sees a violation at a signal, he zooms into the vehicle's number plate and the software records the number. Then the software helps fixing the quanta of fine and the demand for fine goes to the owner’s registered address

• Record of violation stored in the traffic police database

• Fined vehicle owner can pay fine at Bangalore One centers, through the traffic police website or at a traffic police station

• The vehicle owner can also check pending fine on his vehicle by messaging BTIS FINE <vehicle number> to 52225

• Vehicle owners get traffic updates on their mobile phones

• The police personnel at the monitoring hub sees the level of congestion in a road, adjusts the timing on the software linked to the signal which increases/decreases the time span between red, yellow and green

• Signal timings are worked out using historical traffic data and video analytics

Technology used on the FIELD
• Police personnel on the ground equipped with Black-Berrys and Bluetooth printers observe violation. Blackberrys are linked to a central database

• Stops the vehicle, punches in the number and records the offence through Blackberry

• Checks for previous records and imposes fine

• Violator pays fine on the spot or later through other channels

• The police personnel prints a receipt through Bluetooth printer and hands it over immediately

Source: 17.March. 2011, ET

For more information: www.bangaloretrafficpolice.gov.in