Delhi may soon get smart traffic lights

New Delhi: Intelligent traffic lighting system which responds to volume of vehicular and pedestrian traffic is likely to be soon introduced in the national capital as the Delhi government is contemplating upgrading its existing traffic infrastructure in line with the needs of a smart city. 

Onnyx, the city-based technology firm, which is operating and managing the traffic system in the city for Delhi government said a “live demonstration system” has already been set up at a prominent intersection in Lutyen’s Delhi. 

“We have already set up a live demonstration system at the junction of K G Marg and Ferozshah Road here. It’s been three months now and the Delhi Traffic Police Department has responded positively to the idea, and a pilot project based on the new system may be started soon,” CEO, Onnyx, Jitendra Kaushik said. 

The system he said, replicates the human intelligence, but instead of a traffic policeman, “we want the system to do the job”. 

“As per this intelligent traffic system, at any given junction, a system of CCTV cameras will gather footage of traffic inflow and the change in the colour of the traffic light would be based on actual volume of traffic and volume of pedestrian traffic, and not timer-based,” Kaushik said. 

“It is what manually a traffic policeman does. It will allow vehicles to pass in the street as long as there is traffic on it, and then after clearing it, he switches to the other street at the junction,” he said. 

Kaushik said, the system does not necessitate that only vehicles have priority over pedestrians. “In fact, the system gauges the nature of traffic pattern, both vehicular and pedestrian and if it sees a big collection of people near the zebra crossing, it will give precedence to pedestrians.” 

The company, which won the contract about two-and-a-half years ago for the city, said, “Delhi has 1,278 traffic signal points and the idea is to upgrade the existing systems by installing a unit of cameras at each junction.” 

“We don’t have to replace the existing system, just add the cameras to it, which are linked to the central control room, where an automation software guides the traffic lighting system. Plus, the cameras add to security cover too,” Kaushik said. 

Onnyx and Delhi Traffic Police Department both participated in the recently held 4th Traffic Infra Tech Expo 2015, and Secretary of Urban Development Shankar Aggarwal also interacted with the company’s senior officials on the lines of requirements and cost-effectiveness of setting up intelligent traffic lighting as needed for a smart city.