Ahmedabad: Drones roped in to fix old city jam

A ride to Kalupur Railway Station during peak hours might be faster if there is restriction on movement of loading rickshaws and AMTS buses within the walled city, reveals a survey. Findings of the 10-day long survey also show that the number of complaints of traffic jams has shot up to 150 per day as compared to around 80 earlier. The survey, conducted using drones that monitored the walled city area, was facilitated by the city's traffic department along with the city civic body.
Sources from the Ahmedabad Traffic Police revealed that the survey was prompted by the constant complaints of traffic jams from the walled city area. “A drone flew over the Bhadra Plaza, Relief Road, Kalupur, Raipur, Jamalpur, Astodia and other areas of the walled city for 10 days to monitor the traffic and help pinpoint the reasons for traffic jams,“ said a source from the traffic department.
SHOT VIDEOS, CLICKED PHOTOS
Over the period of 10 days, the remote control operated drone shot a video and clicked as many as 3,000 photographs of the study which were studied by the traffic police and officials from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
Subhash Trivedi, additional commissioner of police (traffic), told Mirror that in the narrow lanes of the walled city, AMTS buses, encroachments, illegal hawkers and loading vehicles are the main reasons for congestion.
Sources, meanwhile, said that the survey was conducted after a surge in the complaints of traffic jams in the walled city area. “Complaints of traffic jams in the walled city areas have increased up to 150 per day. These complaints were limited to 75 to 80 complaints each day,“ it was revealed.
Meanwhile, sources in AMC said that video surveillance show AMTS buses create congestion while taking turns or when stopping at bus stops.“Since roads haven't been widened in over 50 years, there is not adequate space to meet the increased number of vehicles,“ an AMC official said on condition of anonymity. As per AMTS authorities, at least 45 buses ply through areas like Kalupur, Sarangpur, Raipur and Astodia in an hour's time.
AMC TO REPLACE AMTS
The official said that to combat this issue, there have been discussions to replace AMTS buses with mini buses in the walled areas.
The traffic department is reportedly gearing up to bring out a notification within a few weeks, restricting entry of goods vehicles like loading rickshaws during peak hours. “These would definitely help in tackling congestion,“ said Trivedi. The survey revealed that till 6pm, Kalupur, Relief Road and Sarangpur see at least 30 to 35 goods vehicles. The survey's findings also attributed the congestion to illegal hawkers and encroachers who have taken over the footpaths, forcing pedestrians to use the main roads.
“There are plans to initiate a drive to control the hawkers soon,“ said AMC.