Commonwealth Games Delhi India 2010 Commonwealth Games India

These are traffic signals with brains. They take a volume count of the number of vehicles at an intersection and automatically adjust the available green signal time on the basis of changing traffic demand. And the good news is that Intelligent Traffic Signals (ITS) are going to become a reality in the Capital before the Commonwealth Games 2010.

The system has been designed to optimize utilisation of road space and enable maximum number of vehicles to cross a selected stretch with minimum stoppage at intersections. The traffic police feel it is the solution to Delhi’s congestion. ‘‘Through ITS, it is possible to reduce congestion levels in the selected area. It is being implemented on all routes leading to the Games sites before 2010 and will later be extended to other parts of the city,’’ said S N Shrivastava, joint commissioner of police (traffic).

The existing signalling system works on cycles, where fixed time frames are pre-set for change of signals irrespective of real-time assessment of traffic. Experts also feel that ITS will ease congestion. By 2010, the plan is to have ITS on all 87 corridors across 210 kms which will be used by players and officials. The scheme will cover 302 intersections in all.

The traffic police are in the process of finalising the technology. For this, presentations have been scheduled with each of the 21 companies which had participated in a global Expression of Interest (EoI) floated by the traffic police last year. A consultant — a JV of RITES and a German firm — has been roped in to help in selecting the best available technology and the bidding process.