The Intelligent Transport System (ITS) being introduced in the city will help commuters get the latest information on road and traffic conditions

tarting from, say Tarnaka and heading towards Yousufguda. How about knowing the conditions of the road you plan to take? Details such as dug up roads, waterlogged stretches, pace of traffic movement or if the vehicles have run into a gridlock. How about logging in to check out such details on a website or send a message and get details on your mobile? This futuristic scenario is not just possible, but officials are working on it to make it happen within the next two years.

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has already initiated the process of introducing Intelligent Transport System (ITS) in the city. The concept includes closed circuit television cameras and Automatic Traffic Counter-cum-Classifier (ATCC) system installed on most of the key road stretches and probe data system in buses to generate live real time understanding of road and traffic conditions in the city.

Being taken up at a cost of Rs. 160 crore, the HMDA has received bids from six agencies for the project including four from Netherlands, Turkey, Austria and Korea. “The preliminary evaluation is already over and technical evaluation will be completed in another 45 days or so. Once an agency is selected, the ITS work is scheduled to be completed in 18 months,” said an official of HMDA.

The chaos on the city roads with vehicles inching at a snail’s pace and long traffic snarls end up resulting in extended travel time and increased travel costs. “There is also an increase in pollution and more scope for accidents,” the official said.

Congestion of the city roads being a major problem faced, the idea is to generate information on the road and traffic conditions on key stretches and disseminate it among the drivers in real time. “With information available on road and traffic conditions, drivers will be able to plan their travel better. If there are roads dug up or jams prevailing on a stretch, they can delay their start or take an alternate route,” said B. Anand Mohan, Chief General Manager, HMDA Outer Ring Road.

Through the roadside installed CCTV cameras and ATCCs, officials at the main control room to be set up at Nanakramguda would keep an eye on the traffic flow and generate live reports. “The control room will have a huge video wall comprising 20 television units from which the traffic movement gets monitored,” he said.

Variable Message System (VMS) would be a key component of the ITS project. Under this, screens installed across the city will continuously update the conditions on road ahead from that point. “The VMS will help a driver understand what lies ahead for him, whether the road has smooth traffic flow or is dug up or there is a jam,” said Mr. Anand Mohan.

Once an agency is selected, the ITS work is scheduled to be completed in 18 months

HMDA official