Executive summary:

Looking at the present scenario of traffic in urban cities like Bangalore, there has been a growth of more than 4% year-over-year vehicle population during the last two decades and is still growing on even faster rate.

We the MBA students of CBSMS, Bangalore, were clustered into a group named ‘GANGA’ which consisted of four members and have been assigned a field work to study briefly about Traffic Management in Bangalore. we decided to approach at all levels that is the public, the traffic sub-inspectors or inspectors who work at the field level and deputy Commissioner of Traffic and officials in control room.

The group members first visited Traffic Management Centre at Bangalore met Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic Section Mr.Dayanand, IPS seeking his permission for our work and with the help of Mr.Kanakamurthy collected information regarding the traffic management and Mr.Bharadhvaj visited the police control room of surveillance cameras to know the technological advancements in management of traffic.

We also prepared a short questionnaire to consider the opinion of public which included riders of two-wheelers, four-wheelers, auto-drivers and drivers of HMVs.

We also spoke to traffic inspectors or officials who control traffic standing all day long. The Mechanism which they follow and their opinion in traffic management as considered.

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Study Area

Bangalore the capital city of Karnataka is one of the fastest growing metropolitan cities. Traffic management can be best studied in city like Bangalore. Different areas of Bangalore was selected as the study area namely Byatarayanapura, Electronic city, KG Road, MG Road, Bommanahalli for the purpose of study.

Limitations of the study:

The field work was conducted as a part of induction program to gain an experience in field work hence, in-depth study was not taken.

This study regarding the public opinion was based on primary data collected from sample respondents by survey method. As many of the respondents furnished the required information from their memory and experience, the collected data would be subjected to recall bias. The study area was limited to only few areas in Bangalore and the findings may not be applicable to other places, as vast difference exists among the respondents with regard to demographic and psychographic characteristics.

However, study also includes some secondary data as collected from Office of Commissioner of Police, TMC, Bangalore city.

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Sampling design

Bangalore city was selected for the purpose of the study. Data regarding the public opinion were collected using a small schedule. A random sampling method was adopted to select the respondents. The sampling was done in different localities of Bangalore namely Byatarayanapura, Electronic city, KG Road, MG Road, Bommanahalli to get diversification in the sample mainly based on region, type of vehicle owned/used to travel,gender,etc. Data was collected from various age groups and from both the genders. A total of 10 respondents from public belonging to different places were selected.

Official data was however a secondary data.

Analytical Tools and Techniques

Basic statistical methods were used to draw the necessary results from this study.

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DISCUSSION REGARDING TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CENTRE, BANGALORE:

Bangalore is an ever growing city. The Commissionerate of Police, Bangalore City looks after the Policing aspect of the city. The area of Bangalore City Police Commissinerate was 360sq.Kms and with the addition of south east division at the end of 2007 and north east division in may 2008,the area of Bangalore City is 1005 sq. Kms.

The Commissionarate of Police, Bangalore City includes substantial area which is outside the jurisdiction of BBMP. The BBMP has got a geographical area of 744 Sq. Kms. Only.

The following is the representation of composition of different type vehicles in Bangalore city.

69%

21%

3% 2% 2% 3%

different type of vehicles in Bangalore Citytwo-wheelers LMV A/R HTV HGV others

Two-wheelers are highest in number in the city, followed by LMVs.

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Major reasons according to the department for traffic problems:

1. Increase in the number of vehicles:

The following is the growth in number of vehicles since the last decades.

1986 1996 2006 2011

3.299.93

28.41

40.6

total no. of motor vehicles (in lakhs) registered in Bangalore City for each decade from 1986 to

2011total no. of motor vehicles (in lakhs) registered in Bangalore City for each decade from 1986 to 2011

It can be inferred that during the last decade number of vehicles have increased nearly by 17 per cent.

2. Violation in the traffic rules:

The following is the number of MV Act, KP Act and Towing cases booked in different heads for the last five years.

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

14.420.8

26.433.3 34.8

MV ACT,KP ACT AND TOWING CASES BOOKED (IN LAKHS)IN DIFFERENT HEADS FOR

THE YEAR 2007 TO 2011MV ACT,KP ACT AND TOWING CASES BOOKED (IN LAKHS)IN DIFFERENT HEADS FOR THE YEAR 2007 TO 2011

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It can be inferred that every year there has been an increase in various violations.

The roads are small and constricted. Say if the capacity of the road is 5000 vehicles per unit time there are 15000 vehicles which creates slow moving traffic or traffic congestion 1and disrupts the easy flow of vehicles especially during peak hours and in peak junctions.

3. Various construction works:Various construction works like metro, fly-over, sky-lines, underpasses, etc hampers the smooth flow of the vehicles.

4. Increase in the number of accidents;

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The accidents which occur almost every day hampers the free flow of traffic creating congestion and sometimes jam for the long hours.

With the increase in number of vehicles, phenomenal growth in the population and the obstruction of carriage way by number of on-going works like Metro fly-overs, under-passes, over-bridges, the management of the traffic and its smooth flow has become a challenging task.

However anticipating growth in number of vehicles and problems in traffic management the City Police have envisaged Bangalore Traffic Improvement Plan which is popularly known as B-TRAC scheme.

B-TRAC SCHEME:

The scheme was started in the year 2006-07 and the grant given by the Government for implementation of project during the year 2011-12 was Rs.15 crore.

The following assets were created in Bangalore City.

B-TRAC Assets:

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Installation of 179 Traffic Surveillance Cameras Installation of 5 enforcement cameras Installation and up-gradation of 340 signals Installation of 625 warning and blinking signals Installation of 49 pelican light signals for pedestrians Provision of 650 BlackBerry handsets and Bluetooth printers 30,000 road signage 1000 traffic information boards 2,00,000 sq.mtr road marking 85 junction improvements Connectivity from all the signals, Surveillance Cameras and

Enforcement Cameras and Enforcement Cameras to the Traffic Management Centre (TMC).

Connectivity between TMC and State Transport Department Provision of 13 interceptors for booking violation cases Provision of 125 state of art breath analyzers Provision of 500 Wheel Clamps for prevention of parking

violations Construction of state of art Traffic Management Centre, Bangalore Construction of State of Art Training and Road Safety Institute,

Bangalore

The following are images some of physical assets:

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Intercept vehicles

Blackberry handsets and Bluetooth printers

Enforcement camera

Surveillance camers

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Road signages

Flexible cone Lane dividers with reflective tapes

MANAGEMNT OF TRAFFIC BY B-TRAC:

Intelligent Traffic Signaling: This is to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

1. Automated signaling system: all signals placed at various junctions are controlled from a central hub. Also the CIs, SIs at the junction are allowed to control manually depending upon the case.These controllers are intelligent and are programmed to perform as per location and time.

2. Vehicle Actuation: underlying sensor(also referred as loops) embedded below the asphalted road near zebra crossing senses the vehicle movement. This leads to wastage of green time and traffic from other direction is released.

3. Signal Progression: this programming allows each junction turns green towards a priority direction in conjugation with its previous signal.

4. Area Traffic Control (ATC): this is a combination of signal progression and vehicle actuation.

5. Power Backup and Management Act: traffic junctions are equipped with high-end equipment which requires uninterrupted power supply (UPS). Main power supply is provided to traffic signals using solar panels while networking devices and cameras are energized using BESCOM connections. Also backup support for about 4 hours by feeding main power input into UPS, one each for networking devices.

IT-ENABLED ENFORCEMENT: this is to ensure Eagle Eyes across the City.

6. Enforcement cameras: high-resolution cameras placed at various junctions capture pictures of over speeding vehicles or jumping signals.

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7. Surveillance cameras: 180 junctions are fitted with Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras, capable of featuring live feeds and pass to TMC where 24-tera byte storage solution is used to store the feed for 15 to 30 days.

8. Interceptors: these are equipped with surveillance cameras, laser speed gun and alcometer for recording the violation and prosecuting the offenders while in move.

9. Blackberry driven enforcement: traffic police officers are provided blackberry devices connected to the Bluetooth-enabled printers. These are connected to central server kept at state data centre(SDC). Offenders are imposed with fine online resulting in

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Recording and Watching the surveillance cameras in TMC

real time monitoring and statistical analysis for senior officer’s review.

10. Payment against violation notices: traffic- police have tied up with Bangalore-one, a citizen friendly initiative of e-governance, for enforcing anywhere anytime payment of fines imposed.

11. Traffic scan through GPS: 600 BMTC buses of Bangalore are fitted with GPS devices. This is to identify congestion across the road.

12. Traffic scan through mobile density: this is a supplementary mechanism for identifying congestion using density of mobile devices currently existing under a mobile tower.

13. Variable messaging system: message boards on large gantries are placed to display various information related to the traffic. The main purpose of this is to inform about traffic and take diversions or other routes. This will come up in near future.

14. Parking information system: all major parking places are proposed to connect to TMC using web based services.

By creation of physical assets and re-orientation of the traffic police personnel, the entire City Traffic Management transformed into a Technology Driven Traffic Management.

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VMS

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE ACHIEVEMENTS AFTER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE B-TRAC SCHEME:

Paperless enforcement of Motor Vehicle Act and Rules, for the first time in the country

The only city in the country with all the signals running at solar energy

The only city in the country where all the signals can be managed from the Traffic Management Centre

25% reduction in the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents. 25% reduction in number of persons killed and injured in

accidents. 300% increase in the fines collected for violations of the

Motor Vehicle Act and rules

DRAW BACKS OR LIMITATIONS OF THE TMC:

1. Technical problems occur however it is resolved as soon as possible.

2. The violations among young age public is nearly more than 10000 per day which is acting as a limitation in controlling traffic specially those caused due to accidents.

3. Many surveillance cameras are de-fitted due to construction works.4. Also different infrastructure providers like BBMP, lack of proper

planning in construction of fly-over, skylines, metros, time-lag in completion of works inherits the smooth flow of traffic.

5. The rules and decision always depends on Government authorities.

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INFERENCE AND SOLUTIONS:

1. Time –lag between implantation of construction of metros, skylines, etc must be reduced. Ensuring speedy completion of works causes lesser trouble to the traffic movement.

2. Co-ordination between Government, TMC, BBMP and other such infrastructure provides must be further strengthened considering each other’s solutions while implementing a project.

3. Age limit to own the vehicles has to be increased as attitude of young people tend to violate the traffic rules.

4. Rules to curb the number of cars and vehicles on roads must be framed: rules like-

specified colored cars allowed on specified days. Odd number and even numbered vehicles are to deiven

on specified days of week. More tax on vehicles to encourage public

transportation. Create more public transports.

This also encourages car pooling and help in cut down of number of vehicles on roads.

5. Movement of heavy vehicles are to be restricted during the peak hours of traffic movement.

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DISCUSSION REGARDING POLICE TRAFFIC INSPECTORS AT TRAFFIC JUNCTIONS:

1. Total number of respondents: 52. Facilities provided to them to manage the traffic:

Walky-talkies: connected to different around 10 walky-talkies at the nearby junctions.

Manual control system: manual control systems at their booth to use in extensive cases.

BlackBerry to impose fine to the violators. Powers to impose fine to the violators, take decisions like

diversion of traffic in certain cases. Cameras to record cases like signal jump. All time connection to central control system.

3. Major Problems in traffic according to them:

problems No. of respondents Percentage(%)Violation of traffic rules

4 out of 5 80

Increase in no. of vehicles

5 out of 5 100

accidents 3 out of 5 60Allowing vehicles of other states

1 out of 5 20

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increase in number of vehicles

violation of traffic rules accidents vehicles of other states

100

80

60

20

percentage (%) of major problemspercentage (%) of major problems

From the above table and graph it can be inferred that major problems in traffic is due to increase in number of vehicles followed by violation of traffic rules and accidents.

Inference and solutions:

1. According to the officials limit in registration of new vehicles must be fixed to a limited which is true to our sense too.

2. Violators must be subjected to stringent punishments as fine imposed is reasonable to the public and tend to violate rules easily.

3. Vehicles of other states must be allowed to enter in specified days only, this will allow space to domestic vehicles.

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DISCUSSION REGARDING PUBLIC:

1. Type of respondents: pedestrians/who use public transport, two-wheeler owners, four-wheeler drivers, three-wheeler owners and bus drivers.

2. Total number of respondents: 10

Type of respondents No. of respondents Percentage Of respondents(in %)

Pedestrians/who use public transport

2 20

Two-wheeler drivers 3 30Four-wheeler drivers 2 20Three-wheelers drivers

1 10

Bus drivers 2 20total 10 100

20%

30%

10%

20%

20%

percentage distribution of respondentspedestrians 2-wheeler drivers 3-wheeler drivers 4-wheeler drivers bus-drivers

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3. Gender distribution of the respondents:

gender No. of respondents Percentagefemale 2 20Male 8 80Total 10 100

4. Age-wise distribution of the respondents:

Age(in years) No. of respondents Percentage(%)20-30 4 4031-40 4 4040-50 2 20Total 10 100

5. Purpose of travelling :

Type of respondents

Frequency

Pedestrians/travelling in public vehicles

Work place

2-wheelers Work place4-wheelers Work place3-wheelers OccupationBus drivers Occupation

6. Pooled problems of public in traffic found during the study: Small sized and constricted roads. Various Constructions works. Go late to their respective places due to which they tend not

to follow the traffic rules.

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Accidents Drink and drive cases. Movement of VIP vehicles hampers the movement of them. One-way system is a problem to mainly 3-wheelers and bus-

drivers and wastage of fuel is their major concern. No compassion towards fellow drivers.

Some of the facts observed in the study:

1. Violation of rules:

40%

40%

20%

percentage distribution of respondents according to the age

20-30 years 31-40 years 40 to 50 years

The above graph depicts that people belonging to the younger age tend to violate rules to reach their destination.

2. Reasons as to why people don’t prefer public transportation:Almost all the respondents want to reach the destination early.Majority of respondents are not comfortable in public transports.Owning a vehicle especially 4-wheeler owners is a matter of prestige for few respondents.

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3. Compassion towards fellow drivers:Majority of people are rash and do not think if other people travelling on road. This again is due to ‘me first’ attitude. Sometimes, argument between two drivers in the mid road slows down movement of vehicles.

Inference and solutions:1. Main reason of violation of rules is the ‘Me First’ attitude.

Educating the public in advantage of following the traffic rules may help cut-down the speed to reach destination. This can be done at the work places mainly the soft-ware companies and colleges.This also helps in reducing violations like signal jump, increased speed, etc.

2. Although a small reason, it happens in many places. Compassion towards fellow travelers must be inculcated.

3. Age-limit of eligibility to own a vehicle must be increased.4. Fine and punishment rules must be further stringent. 5. Community traffic system must be encouraged where-in

training is given to the people regarding violations and let the people only will inform about the violations.

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References:

www.bangaloretrafficpolice.gov.in Articles from newspapers Data from information booklet of B-TRAC.

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