Drone Surveillance For Traffic Management? Gurugram Could Give It A Try

Gurugram authorities have decided to explore the feasibility of undertaking drone surveillance to monitor highways and other roads with high volume and dense traffic in a bid to achieve a comprehensive reform of the city's traffic management.

In a high-level meeting chaired by Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority's Chief Executive Officer Sudhir Rajpal and attended among others by the city Commissioner of Police Kala Ramchandran among others, the authorities also decided to survey 27 high accident-prone stretches in and around the city tyo make the city traffic safe and secure for commuters.

The meeting was also attended by Gurugram's Traffic DCP Traffic Ravinder Singh Tomar and top officials of the Gurugram and Manesar municipal corporations.

A slew of issues needing urgent intervention for smooth traffic management in the city that the authorities identified during the meeting included traffic decongestion, critical road signage, road repairs and traffic signal up-gradation.

Other critical issues identified during the meeting were those of drunk driving, pedestrians crossings and footpaths, cycle tracks, proper parking and green belt beautification.

“We need to focus on hotspots and high accident-prone points and install requisite safety measures to reduce accidents. In conjunction with the police and traffic teams, a joint road safety audit will be taken up of 27 such accident-prone spots and remedial solutions will be undertaken. CCTV cameras will also be installed for increased road surveillance,” GDMA CEO Rajpal said.

“Our GIS division will also explore drone surveillance possibilities to monitor traffic on highways and similar heavy traffic routes. Additionally, service roads and lanes too need to be built to enable smooth traffic flow,” he added.

Placement of road signages, cat's eyes, reflectors, speed breakers, rumble strips, bollards, spring posts, will also be done for increased road safety measures, he said.

Installing speed-monitoring cameras too were proposed to keep a check on speeding vehicles and to facilitate the issuance of challans to violators.

Gurugram Police Commissioner Ramachandran flagged the issue of haphazard roadside parking that adds to the traffic chaos.

“We need to encourage citizens to follow regulatory parking norms and park their vehicles at designated parking spots. Strict action against erratic parking is important and we will be working towards organized parking spaces for the benefit of Gurugram citizens,” the police commissioner said.

He also pointed out the malady of frequent median cuts in Gurugram roads, a major source of road accidents.

“Efforts are also being made to improve traffic light system in Gurugram and the tender for 91 traffic signals in the city will be issued next week to get additional traffic lights installed within six months,” he said.

DCP (Traffic) Tomar underlined the issue of lack of pedestrian crossings and footpaths and cycle tracks, which are already being built by the GMDA and which will be beneficial for the safety of this segment of commuters.

Senior GMDA officials emphasised the need to improve street lights in the city in identified locations for improved surveillance and number plate recognition results.

“We will explore all necessary and possible routes and means to bring semblance and security on the roads for citizens of Gurugram,” Mr Rajpal said.