Bengaluru to get more digital boards displaying travel time on busy roads

Electronics City flyover

Bengaluru will soon get more digital boards displaying real-time traffic information, which is expected to help commuters plan travel in the city notorious for its jams.

The move project aims to improve traffic management and enhance commuter experience by providing real-time travel information and dynamic notifications, officials said.

While the Electronics City Industrial Township Authority (ELCITA) is set to install three Variable Messaging System (VMS) units with LED displays, Bengaluru Traffic Police plans to implement VMS at eight more locations.

Joint commissioner of police (traffic) for Bengaluru City MN Anucheth told Moneycontrol that there are now four VMS boards — two at Hebbal and one each at Basaveshwara Circle and Windsor Manor —primarily catering to airport passengers.

"We are now planning to install VMS at eight more locations, including Old Madras Road and Marathahalli. These display boards will provide travel time updates as well as other awareness messages," he said.

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Commuters in Electronics City will soon have access to real-time travel updates for both the flyover and service roads on Hosur Road, as ELCITA is set to install three VMS units with LED displays. These boards will provide live travel time updates for both the elevated highway and the service roads.

The 9.9 km-long elevated expressway from Central Silk Board Junction to Electronics City on Hosur Road, which opened in 2010, was designed to reduce travel time to Electronics City, home to major companies such as Infosys and Biocon.

“VMS units will be deployed at Silk Board Junction, NHAI Electronics City toll plaza, and E-City toll plaza (west phase). These digital boards will display travel times for routes between the Electronics City toll plaza and Silk Board Junction via both elevated highway and service roads,” said an ELCITA official.

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The VMS units will display travel times based on Google API data and will also provide alerts on road closures, accidents, and alternate route suggestions.

“The system will be designed to process real-time traffic data efficiently and analyse traffic patterns to generate insights. It will be equipped with features such as predictive analytics and AI-driven decision-making capabilities, allowing integration with IoT devices if required,” an official said.

Electronics City, spread across 903 acres on the Bengaluru-Hosur highway, is one of India’s largest electronics industrial parks and is home to companies such as Infosys, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, Siemens, and Tata Consultancy Services.

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