The transportation engineering division of IIT-Madras is conducting research to provide real-time information on traffic to the public.
The experimental project known as advanced traveller information system (ATIS), funded by the Union ministry of communication and information technology, is being conducted by the transportation engineering division of the department of civil engineering.
The project was initiated a few years ago by faculty members, R. Sivanandan, Karthik K. Srinivasan, V. Lelitha Devi and Gitakrishnan Ramadurai.
As part of the study, about 100 GPS devices have been fixed in MTC buses. Also, 30 cameras and 15 antennas have been installed on Sardar Patel Road, IT Corridor, Velachery Road and Taramani Road.
Traffic flow will be monitored by researchers in the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) lab at IIT-M using GPS from buses. Live traffic feed from the cameras will also be used to monitor congestion.
Information about the traffic and the approximate time it will take to travel to a particular destination on the four stretches will be transferred to a website.
“As of now, we are just monitoring traffic and using the data for our study. Once the project is completed, it will be available to the public. Anybody can select source and destination points, and the shortest route and estimated travel time on different routes will be displayed,” said Prof. Sivanandan.
Work is on to install six electronic sign boards for the benefit of motorists on these roads. The data from the lab will be sent to these boards. Besides, the department is also working on a project to provide bus timings to passengers.
With the help of GPS in the buses, their positions will be transferred to the ITS lab. The research team is also planning a system for sending SMS about the bus route, bus timing and location of the bus. This can be done once passengers register their mobile number with the lab.
