Adaptive traffic management system on track with phase 1 to be ready January

The Pune Smart City Development Corporation Limited (PSCDCL) is in the process of introducing its state-of-the-art ‘adaptive traffic management system’ or ATMS at Karve road, Tilak road, Shankar Sheth road and Solapur road traffic signals to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of traffic on city roads. The PSCDCL officials held a meeting with the commissioner of police on December 6 to discuss the timeline and coordination for the first phase of traffic signals.

According to chief knowledge officer, PSCDCL, Dinesh Virkar, “The implementation of ATMS is an initiative taken by the PSCDCL in coordination with the PMC and traffic police to provide a secure and smooth road experience to the citizens of Pune. It is very much on track with the first phase of 19 chowks on Karve Road, Tilak road, Shankar Sheth road, and Solapur road to be ready by the end of January 2023.”

“The PSCDCL will be providing commissioning and synchronisation of the new ATMS at 125 junctions in three phases (25 junctions in phase 1, 50 in phase 2, and 50 in phase 3). The ATMS consists of various sub-systems (vehicle detection camera, ATC controller, communication network, variable message signboards etc.) in a coherent single interface that provides real-time data on the status of traffic at the ATMS application software at the command and control centre,” Virkar said.

The first phase ATMS will calculate the green and red utilisation time on intersection, and will divide the green time into all the approaches as per the real-time traffic condition. It will enable the city traffic management to better interpret traffic flows and optimise signals by empowering the city traffic division with alternative controls to minimise the temptation of breaking rules and promote traffic signal coordination and synchronisation based on real-time data detection systems with in-built advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms.

The first phase has identified chowks such as Karve putala, Mrityunjay temple, Karishma chowk, Paud phata, Khandoji baba chowk and Shelar mama chowk on Karve road; Alka Talkies chowk, S P chowk, Jedhe chowk and Vega centre on Tilak road; Seven Loves chowk and Fatima nagar chowk on Shankar Sheth road; and Sopan baug on Solapur road with pole foundations, trenching and ducting work having been completed. At nine junctions, the no-objection certificate (NOC) is still awaited, officials said.

Virkar said that the ATMS will provide a green corridor for emergency vehicles, using Blue TOAD as one of its key components. The ATMS is the most advanced traffic-monitoring system directly measuring travel time using non-intrusive roadside technology, he said. It provides an interactive and real-time speed map along with enhanced origin and destination studies used for alternative route planning and congestion mitigation, he added. The system is expected to help the city administration, traffic division and citizens with route improvement and reduced journey turnaround time apart from serving as a solution for congestion on the streets by empowering the traffic police to regulate traffic in the city.