MC Interview: Bengaluru's techie-turned-traffic chief bets on AI to ease congestion

Wednesdays see the highest congestion in Bengaluru, with tech park occupancy also the highest on this day, says joint commissioner of police (traffic) MN Anucheth.

A chip engineer turned traffic chief might sound unusual, but not if you're in India's Silicon Valley. Bengaluru's Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), MN Anucheth, brings a unique perspective to the role. His experience as a VLSI engineer is proving valuable to India's tech and startup scene, which is grappling with traffic congestion.

A 2009 batch IPS officer, Anucheth previously served as Deputy Commissioner of Police for West, Central, and Whitefield, and knows the city inside out. The state government appointed him as Bengaluru's traffic chief in November 2022 to address the city's notorious traffic congestion.

Bengaluru traffic police are now using data from 33 major tech parks and aggregators for traffic management. They plan to widen the deployment of AI (artificial intelligence)-based cameras from the existing 50 junctions to 500, and check 13 major violations through contactless means.

The city traffic police will soon upgrade 50 percent of the existing traffic signals to adaptive ones - which calculate signal duration in real time based on vehicular flow - within 6-8 months.

In a free-wheeling chat with Moneycontrol, Anucheth said his team is now increasingly relying on AI and data analytics for traffic management and enforcement.

According to a recent traffic index report released by TomTom, a Dutch location technology specialist, Bengaluru holds the sixth position in the global ranking of the most congested cities in 2023, an improvement from the second spot in 2022.

Excerpts:

Outer Ring Road (ORR) experienced unusual traffic congestion on September 27, 2023, leaving techies and students stranded for nearly four hours. What lessons have you learned?

We've now created a portal that aggregates data from 33 major tech parks on places like Outer Ring Road and Sarjapur Road. This portal gets incoming and outgoing traffic data on an hourly basis, from parking data provided by these tech parks. We also gather data from various app-based aggregators about the movement of two-wheelers, cabs, and auto rickshaws. This baseline model aids us in comprehending traffic loads and strategising interventions.

We utilise the data to make real-time decisions on 20 high traffic- density corridors.

Based on these sets of data, we divert vehicles during peak hours, stagger exits from tech parks, etc. At any given time, we now have information on the number of vehicles, expected vehicle flow, and vehicle types, and can monitor the types of vehicles entering and exiting tech corridors.

Also, read: Massive traffic jam on Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road; traffic police issues advisory to IT companies

Will you share this data with the public?

We are now utilising this data internally but we plan to make it public. We are also in the process of collaborating with map-based service providers to disseminate information on live road conditions. This will have incidents such as accidents, vehicle breakdowns, flooding, tree falls, processions, etc that could impact the flow of traffic.

It helps us to make informed decisions and provides real-time information to the public. We recently launched ASTraM (Actionable Intelligence for Sustainable Traffic Management), a smart traffic engine offering comprehensive insights into the road traffic scenario in Bengaluru city.

Currently, congestion alerts—severe, moderate, and high—are generated every 15 minutes. This system also helps us identify areas that are congested but not reported. For example, Begur area in Electronics City is highly congested. Begur Road, with only two lanes, sees congestion when vehicles attempt to overtake, blocking incoming traffic. To address this, we are putting medians to reduce congestion.

This data also helps us in understanding areas that require engineering improvements or interventions. We will assess whether certain one-ways in the city are effective or not, and decide if some roads should be converted into one-ways based on this data.

Also, read: Traffic cops propose carpooling, shuttle buses to ease congestion on Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road

How does your background as an electronics engineer help in your role?

I believe technology complements human efforts but does not replace them entirely. By identifying areas where technology can assist, we leverage it for enforcement and understanding the causes of congestion to implement effective solutions. For instance, we need to physically conduct drink and drive checks. We use technology/big data analytics to understand why congestion is occurring, how it is happening, and whether we can address those issues to ensure seamless traffic flow.

Which days are most congested in Bengaluru?

Wednesdays and Thursdays are the most congested in Bengaluru, possibly due to a mix of work-from-office and regular business activities. Wednesdays see the highest congestion, with tech park occupancy also the highest on this day. Companies need to consider implementing a calibrated approach, wherein a certain number of employees work from Monday to Friday, rather than just three days. I believe that such an approach will help distribute the flow of vehicles and people more evenly.

What are the other traffic patterns you've observed?

Generally, peak hours in Bengaluru are from 7:30 am to 11 am and 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm. On a particular Thursday, we observed significantly fewer vehicles in the morning peak hour but it picked up around 11-11:30 am. This coincided with the start of the Thanksgiving weekend in the US.

There seems to be a direct correlation, perhaps many people were off and doing personal work. We already have a calendar of events for Indian holidays and we may include a calendar of events for the US holidays as well (laughs).

Traffic flows differently in Bengaluru from Mondays to Fridays, compared to Saturdays and Sundays. During weekends, peak hours are from 11 am to 2 pm and from 6:30 pm to 11 pm, possibly people going out during holidays. We have also noticed an increase in outgoing and incoming traffic outside Bengaluru after the COVID-19 pandemic, which shows that people are taking more trips to other places.

How does contactless enforcement work?

We are currently utilising AI-based cameras at 50 junctions and planning to expand to 500. Bengaluru city police have installed 7,500 cameras under the Safe City project, and we will incorporate these cameras into our system. We will use these cameras to check 13 major types of violations.

Currently, 97 percent of traffic violation cases are booked contactless, excluding offences such as drunken driving, wheeling, footpath riding, and violations related to one-way driving/no entry.

We also ensure that traffic violators pay the fines. We have identified a list of 2,681 traffic violators, each with pending fines exceeding Rs 50,000. We are in the process of physically visiting their houses to recover these fines. Once completed, we will shift our focus to violations with fines above Rs 20,000, followed by those above Rs 10,000. If violators refuse to pay, we will file a charge sheet in the court.

Also, read: Bengaluru now books 96% traffic violations through AI-powered cameras

The Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) is implementing Japanese MODERATO (Management of Origin-Destination-Related Adaptation for Traffic Optimisation) technology at 28 major junctions…

We are coordinating with the DULT. Our Traffic Management Center is getting data from each of these signals. We are using data from AI cameras to test each of these signals and then move towards testing multiple synchronised signals. Our old signals in these 28 junctions will be shifted to other places.

Also, read:  Bengaluru trials Japanese traffic signal technology to reduce congestion

What about other signals?

There are 400 traffic signals in Bengaluru. In Phase 1, we are planning adaptive signals at 165 junctions, and the remaining will be taken up in a phased manner -- Phase 2 (220 signals) and Phase 3 (107 signals).

Ideally, we require about 500 traffic signals for Bengaluru city. We have already received funds from the state government for the first phase of 165 junctions. Both DULT's project and our signalling system work on the concept of identifying traffic load at a particular junction. While the algorithms may differ, the premise is the same: allocate more time to junctions with higher traffic loads.

So, you might have seen situations where there are no vehicles but the lights are still green. In such cases, a significant amount of time could have been allocated to a different arm of a junction. Our algorithm, CoSiCoSt, developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) is adaptable to Indian driving conditions.

Phase 1 is expected to be completed in 6-8 months. Once the adaptive signals are implemented, certainly during non-peak hours, we'll see an improvement in terms of traffic movement. Around 200 junctions, or 50 percent of the existing signals, will have adaptive signalling in 6-8 months, and that will be a game changer in terms of improving the speed and efficiency of traffic movement.

Vehicle breakdowns are one of the reasons for traffic congestion...

We have been mapping instances of severe congestion caused by vehicle breakdowns in Bengaluru over the last one-and-a-half months. Wherever vehicles break down during peak hours, it contributes to severe congestion, resulting in traffic pile-ups extending up to 500 metres. Around 90 percent of vehicle breakdowns contribute to severe congestion during peak hours.

Handling breakdowns of smaller vehicles is relatively easier; we can move them to the service road. Heavy motor vehicles are prohibited during peak hours so their breakdowns are less. But modern buses equipped with pneumatic brakes cannot be manually pushed, necessitating the deployment of recovery vehicles to clear the obstruction. This takes around 22 minutes.

Also, read: Why Bengaluru's tech corridor, Outer Ring Road, needs an urgent fix

What action is being taken to ease congestion in Bengaluru?

Our on-ground traffic personnel are now more focused on traffic management and regulations, primarily utilising technology to address major traffic violations that could potentially lead to accidents. These violations include not wearing helmets, seatbelts, using mobile phones while driving, jumping traffic signals, not halting at stoplights, and overspeeding.

We deploy AI-enabled Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras and Red Light Violation Detection (RLVD) for enforcement. This approach allows our traffic constables to be freed up to manage traffic effectively. The visible presence of traffic personnel at junctions alone has proven effective in reducing many violations. With traffic police personnel stationed at junctions, they can monitor and ensure the smooth flow of traffic. In the event of a vehicle breakdown or an accident, traffic can be cleared more efficiently.

How has the Metro impacted traffic?

Whitefield Metro (Byappanahalli - KR Pura section) has reduced congestion during peak hours by 14-17 percent. Central Silk Board - KR Pura - Kempegowda International Airport Metro line is expected to reduce congestion on the Outer Ring Road and Ballari Road, to a certain extent.

Also, read: Whitefield line boosts Bengaluru Metro's average daily ridership by 80K; cuts traffic congestion by 14%

Any plan to stop long-distance buses on the outskirts?

Long-distance buses should be halted outside city limits, next to Metro terminal stations. For example, at the terminal station on Tumakuru Road, the Airport Line, and similarly at KR Pura. Halting both private and government long-distance buses in the outskirts will reduce congestion during evening peak hours and weekends. A coordinated mobility strategy is essential, involving not just Metro but also BMTC. The goal is to have a coordinated approach and make public transport adoption a game changer.

There is severe congestion near shopping malls, which also contributes to traffic…

As a long-term measure, we intend to propose a traffic circulation plan and conduct a traffic impact assessment for certain types of developments. We are still in the process of finalising these plans. A traffic circulation plan needs to be incorporated while granting approvals like shopping malls.

Also, read: Bengaluru's Phoenix Mall of Asia back in business, accountability under spotlight

Pedestrians are more vulnerable to accidents...

A factor that has not been adequately considered in overall traffic planning is pedestrian safety. If you observe, 30-40 percent of deaths/fatalities in Bengaluru involve pedestrians. So, their safety is a concern. We are currently working on mapping the width of roads as well as pedestrian pavements and sharing this information with BBMP for necessary corrections. We have 33 operational Pelican signal lights (a manually operated system that allows pedestrians to cross the road safely), and BBMP has installed another 75. While they are functional in some places, in other places, people are still not aware that they can use it to cross the road safely.

Another major issue in Bengaluru is poor last-mile connectivity. Also, there are no shared autos. How do you plan to tackle this?

In my opinion, the first and last-mile connectivity to a metro station or public transport should be made easy. If we address the first and last-minute connectivity gap, more people are likely to use public transport. We should explore options such as shared autos, shared mobility, or any other means, including walking, creating pedestrian-friendly paths, and cycling. Ultimately, resolving the first and last-mile connectivity issue is crucial, and unfortunately, it is lacking in Bengaluru.

Also, read: Eye on Bengaluru ahead of Karnataka polls: How poor last-mile connectivity has hit public transport use