Page 21 - TT mag April 2024 Digital Edition

ON THE COVER

Ashish Dhakan adds, “The address any issues arising enforces traffic rules. These smart
successful implementation of the from environmental wear and traffic solutions are also integrated
project plan depends largely on tear or technical failures. This with smart city systems, such as
combining local knowledge of ongoing maintenance not only parking, public transport and
the city traffic conditions, credible ensures that cameras remain emergency services. According
traffic enforcement technologies, functional and effective but to Prashant Oberoi, “Smart cities
using proven traffic modelling also adds a recurring cost have already proven the efficacy of
approaches to guide the thinking that can strain budgets over traffic enforcement technologies
process, proposing aggressive time. Each of these challenges through significant reductions
mitigation measures to minimize must be carefully considered in accidents and casualties.
the impact of the project with and managed to maximize Furthermore, the absence of
such a large size, and managing the benefits of camera human intervention in enforcing
a large number of stakeholders enforcement systems while these violations contributes to
efficiently and concurrently.” minimizing their drawbacks. cleaner governance.”

Additionally, environmental In order to overcome challenges
conditions pose a significant like these, camera installation will The Government taking
hurdle. Cameras must be robust need to be approached carefully. steps to improve
enough to operate reliably under camera enforcement?
various lighting conditions and Smart City Integration
in all-weather types, which can The Government of India is well
complicate both the installation CCTV and traffic enforcement aware of the benefits of CCTVs
and ongoing maintenance cameras play a vital part in and traffic camera enforcement.
processes. This requirement for smart cities, offering real-time Crucially, they enacted the Motor
durable and adaptable technology information on traffic conditions, Vehicle (Amendment) Act in
can drive up the initial investment accidents (notifying emergency 2019, focusing on road safety
and operational costs. services), violations and emissions. by setting up stringent penalties
Geographical limitations also This data - rich in insights - can for traffic violations. Section
affect camera effectiveness. be used to optimise traffic, 136A of the Amendment Act
improve road safety, cut down
Cameras installed on non- the environmental impact and enables State Governments to
straight roads or in areas with enhance mobility and accessibility. provide for electronic monitoring
complex topographies may not and enforcement on National
function as effectively, potentially Says Tushar Ranjan, “Camera Highways, State Highways, roads
leading to gaps in coverage and technologies are increasingly or in Urban cities within the state.
reduced surveillance capabilities. integrated into broader smart Furthermore, the latest road
Drivers could choose to slow city initiatives, leveraging data and bridge specifications allow
down before the camera, and analytics and interconnected for the installation of Advanced
then accelerate afterwards. infrastructure to optimise Traffic Management Systems on
AI cameras are also subject to traffic flow, enhance safety, National Highways. This includes
accuracy errors, existing bias and reduce congestion. These provisions for CCTV cameras and
and, of course, the previously innovations in camera technology speed cameras.
discussed issue of privacy. Such are expected to significantly CCTVs in traffic enforcement
limitations necessitate strategic enhance the efficiency, accuracy, do have inherent challenges that
planning and potentially more and effectiveness of traffic need to be addressed. However,
sophisticated and therefore monitoring and enforcement given the rise of smart cities, the
costly equipment to ensure efforts worldwide, contributing to increasing need for smart traffic
comprehensive monitoring. safer and more sustainable urban solutions, the growing calls for
mobility systems.”
Moreover, regular maintenance road safety, and the creation of
is crucial for the sustained In Singapore, a network advanced CCTV technologies, it
operation of enforcement of traffic cameras has been seems like they are well on their
cameras. Consistent checks implemented that detects and way to becoming an essential part
and repairs are necessary to responds to traffic incidents and of traffic management. TT

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