Signal for smooth traffic in city

KOCHI: The city police are all set to strengthen its traffic enforcement strategy by launching a systematic plan of action.The highlight of the multi-phased programme is a Rs 3.6-crore project to integrate and synchronise traffic signals in the city. To streamline traffic regulation and enforcement in the city, the department will revamp its existing structure with technological additions like synchronised signals, cameras and video tours. “The entire traffic signals in the city now function in a stand-alone mode. If they are integrated, the vehicles can cover a certain distance avoiding delays at red signals. Automobiles moving at 35 km/hour will get green signal at one stretch for a specified time length which will effectively ease the congestion on city roads,” said City Police Commissioner M R Ajithkumar. The existing traffic signals will be modified and new ones added so that the entire system can function as one integrated unit. There are also plans to put the entire city roads under camera surveillance. Cameras to detect signal violation and speeding will be planted at all major junctions. They will be connected with cameras placed at other places and the entire system will be integrated with the control room. “Moreover the corporation has promised to give footage of the entire city routes and buildings videotaped. And at times of emergency, video tour of a specified area will be helpful,” said the Commissioner. The existing traffic structure will be revamped in the next stage. As of now, there is only one charging station. You can register cases only at Traffic West in the entire city. Instead of Traffic East and West there will be Traffic Ernakulam, Edappally, Mattanchery and Thrikkakara.“We also propose to increase the strength of traffic police as we require three additional Circle Inspectors, 60 Sub- inspectors and around 500 policemen,” he said.   To tackle the parking problem, the entire city will be divided into parking, no-parking and restricted parking zones. “According to traffic rules, you can park a vehicle only at parking areas. All other places are either no parking or restricted parking. You are not supposed to park at a place that does not have a no-parking sign board. We are also planning to barricade footpaths. As of now, it is difficult for pedestrians as many footpaths have turned into unofficial parking slots,” he said. As the first stage, two traffic sub divisions in the city were restructured into 25 sectors. Each sector is designed depending on the traffic density and will be manned by a team that includes a sector officer who will be in charge of investigating the cases coming under the sector. The heavy traffic zones in the city like MG Road will be one sector while the sector perimeter will broaden as it goes to areas that are not commercial and with lesser vehicle population. “The plan needs more manpower and we are pooling officers from other wings. Each sector will have a circle inspector and the teams will work in shifts. This will make sure that strong and visible policing is present in all parts of the city. The patrolling on pocket roads and byroads will be beefed up,” he said.