Five months since the launch of Kochi’s Integrated Command Control and Communication Centre (IC4), a team of young professionals has been busy collating and analysing data regarding traffic movement, rule violations, public grievances on drinking water and power supply issues, operation of street lights on newly developed roads and power generated by solar panels installed atop 28 government buildings in Kochi.
The IC4 has been tasked primarily with analysing electronic data gathered mainly from 35 junctions in the city through the recently launched Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), which was among the key projects undertaken by Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML).
A senior traffic police official said the data was becoming handy in traffic management and to identify rule violators. “The data is being collated on an experimental basis, since the project is in its infancy. Measures to streamline traffic flow and enforcement by penalising motorists who violate rules will follow suit,” he said.
Sources associated with IC4 said that vehicle-actuated signals and other measures to prevent traffic hold-ups at junctions were currently in their “stabilisation period”.
Altogether, 27 personnel work in three shifts and are monitored by nine subject matter experts, in order to analyse data streamed by ITMS.
Already, IC4 has gathered data such as duration of traffic hold-ups and details of vehicles that frequently indulge in rash driving and those violating other traffic rules. Transport Commissioner M.R. Ajithkumar, during his visit to the facility, said that emphasis must be on penalising frequent rule violators.
The RTO (Enforcement) of Ernakulam Shaji Madhavan said the Nirbhaya gang rape case catalysed the need to install GPS in all public transport vehicles. A trial run is on, with the help of Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC). “Apart from accidents and instances of rash driving, a panic button in these vehicles will help IC4 rush help to the needy through enforcement agencies. On its part, the Motor Vehicles Department has requested the police and Keltron to share artificial intelligence videos, to do real time monitoring of vehicle movement. This will come in handy to rein in reckless driving and offences like dumping of garbage and septic tank waste in vacant spaces,” he said.
Street lights
Another element of IC4 is real time control of street lights on roads being renovated by CSML.
It also keeps track of energy generated from solar panels installed atop 28 government buildings.
