Interview: Hyd Jt CP traffic says 200 shopping malls, business establishments have encroached roads and rented out parking spaces

Traffic is a major issue in Hyderabad. Joint Commissioner of Hyderabad AV Ranganath speaks to NewsMeter about the latest Operation ROPE and other important traffic issues.Excerpts:

What are the 3Es? Can you explain them? How does HTP plan on upholding them?

Education, Engineering, and Enforcement are the three most important Es in road safety. The goal of education is to raise commuter awareness of various traffic rules and the consequences of breaking them.

Certain engineering measures are critical for both traffic flow and safety. For example, if there is a bus stop near a junction, there are chances of traffic congestion whenever the bus stops. In such cases, we make sure that the bus stops are strategically placed to minimize traffic congestion. Engineering also provides signaling, road painting, and other services.

The act of enforcing laws in the event of traffic violations is referred to as enforcement. There is also a 4th E, Enablement in traffic management, with an increased emphasis on catering to the welfare needs of traffic personnel through regular health camps, kit bags, and ongoing capacity building at the Traffic Training Institute.

Hyderabad traffic police use social media to educate and sensitize the public about various traffic rules. We also publish advisories.

What is Operation ROPE? What is the operation's primary aim?

ROPE stands for Removal of Obstructive Parking and Encroachments. In Hyderabad, numerous shops have not only encroached on footpaths but also parts of the road. This encroachment results in less space for vehicles resulting in traffic gridlocks.

The primary goal of Operation ROPE is to identify encroachments. In addition to encroachment, several businesses have rented out their parking basements to others, leaving no room for vehicle parking. Hyderabad Traffic Police have identified over 200 such large shopping malls, furniture stores, and other businesses in the city that have encroached roads as well as rented out vehicle parking spaces. In addition, nearly 50 FIRs have been filed. It is worth noting that Operation ROPE also targets obstructive parking (vehicles parking on the road). We will also make sure that small vendors who encroach on the road are relocated to another location so that they can continue doing business.

Following this operation, we intend to concentrate on other traffic violations. The goal of all of these special drives is to increase the average speed of vehicles in the city during peak hours.

How many junctions in Hyderabad have ATC? What is the impact of ATC?

Adaptive Traffic Control (ATC) signals are installed at nearly 190 intersections throughout the city. The Integrated Traffic Management System includes ATC (ITMS). ATC contributes to the smooth flow of traffic. The time interval will be automatically reviewed at the junctions based on the camera-based detectors. Unlike previous systems, the green light will be adjusted if there are fewer vehicles at a particular intersection.

The traffic signal contains software that adjusts the wait times at intersections based on the volume of traffic at any given time. The traffic headquarters can also control the signals. The time of signals is left to the traffic officer present in a manual signal. ATC has proven to be more effective at traffic management. With ATC, only one traffic officer is required to man the intersection. ATC signals will soon be installed at all city intersections.

How much public parking space is available in Hyderabad? How do Hyderabad Traffic Police plan to tackle the problem of parking in congested areas?

There is no way to quantify how much space is available. However, there are more vehicles and parking spaces. Many parts of the city have very little public parking. The roads in places like Goshamahal and Abids are extremely narrow. Parking space is in high demand in residential colonies as well. Many colonies with wide roads are becoming narrower as a result of vehicles parked on both sides of the street. We intend to find a way to park on only one side of the road in these areas. Perhaps parking should be rotated from one side to the other every week or so. There may have been no need for parking when these commercial establishments were established in parts of the old city.

How many vehicles are there in Hyderabad? How can traffic be managed as the number of vehicles keeps rising?

There are 77,65,487 vehicles in the city. The figures are growing by the day. Cars now account for nearly 18% of the total. These vehicles are only those registered in Hyderabad and Telangana. Several other vehicles arrive from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, adding to the vehicular flow.

Using public transportation is the solution to traffic and other issues. The metro and bus networks in Hyderabad are well-connected. I implore everyone to make use of them. It will not only reduce traffic, but it will also help to reduce the ongoing environmental damage.

Schools should begin educating students about the benefits of taking public transportation.

What is the strength of the Hyderabad Traffic Police? What percentage of forces man the junctions?

Hyderabad Traffic Force has 2500 traffic officers. The majority of the force is made up of Home Guards. Over 75% of traffic cops will be on the scene. Others will work in administrative departments, and so on. The traffic wing has been strengthened further with the allocation of 40 SIs and Inspectors from the 2010 batch. To cover more junctions, approximately 100 home guards and 100 women from the City Armed Reserve (CAR) will be deployed for traffic duties. There are nearly 250 female officers on the force. We intend to increase the number of participants. I can tell that female officers perform far better in the traffic department (even on the field) than men.