TOI Nov 25,2009 - We pay for defective Signals

Read the enclosed article as published in TOI, Delhi on Nov 25,2009

According to this, Delhi police pays Rs 270/- per signal per month. Cost of electricity is fixed at Rs 4.68 per unit.

Now there is a plan to add meters on each light so that only actual energy is paid for.

However a simple calculation done by an engineer who has designed traffic controller exposes the intelligence of Delhi Police and other concerned persons.

Here is the calculation

Wattage per traffic signal (assuming four roads) - 100W
Daily consumption - 100W X 16 Hours
+ 50 W X 8 hour = 2000 W
Daily charges assuming it works round the clock - Rs 4.68 * 2

This is Rs 9.36 per day or Rs 280.80 per month

Just think the cost of reading meter, parking vehicle on red light (that will be illegal as red lights have no parking places), generating bills, cost of replacing defective meters (meters will also go bas as frequently as lights go bad), cost of some one verifying it.

In short great job



Monthly charges = 11.32 X 30 days = Rs

TOI, Delhi 25 Nov 2009

Traffic Chief says They can't do any thing to control large companies including a public sector companies Keltron and a large Pvt Sector company CMS.

He also said that repairs on defective traffic signal as shown on TOI photographs are under repairs.

However there was no mention of signal not reported by TOI but known to all persons driving in the city of Delhi

98 signals went on Blink in monday rain - No backups in case of outages main problem

As per a news article in TOI, Delhi on July 31

It says that monday traffic was horrible and as many as 98 signals went on blink after the downpour.

During rains, the power supply deptt cuts the supply to avoid electrocution and signals stop working.

SEEMS THEY NEVER HEARD ABOUT INVERTERS.

To check the complete news article click below

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/98-signals-went-on-the-blink-in-Monday-rain/articleshow/4839262.cms

Signals Do Not Work So Why Wont There Be Jams

Nov 3 issue of HT, Delhi carries a news article about 169 traffic signals being out of order or one out of every five signals are out of order.

Result is choas and long queues.

According to residents, the signal on shankar road near Ganga Ram Hospital has not been working for almost a month.

The link for news article is here

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/newdelhi/Signals-don-t-work-Why-won-t-there-be-jams/Article1-472010.aspx

Delhi JCP says that IITs should work on Traffic Lights

S N Srivastava said in a seminar on road safety organised by IIT, Delhi on November 22,2009  that IITs should try to develop zero maintenance traffic lights to put an end to traffic jams caused by faulty traffic signals.

Experts says that this is joke. Rohit Baluja of Institute of Road Traffic Education says that same signals in cities like Mumbai and Banglore are working. There is no problem in technology.

Major cause of signal failure according to Police is moisture and power failure

Read the complete article at

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Traffic-chiefs-lame-excuses/articleshow/5262499.cms

Most traffic signals went on the blink during rain

As per news article on TOID of 15th Sept. 2009

Nearly 114 traffic signals went on the blink during last week's downpour.

Out of the 725 traffic signals in the city, a majority stopped working last week amid incessant rain. Traffic police figures revealed that about 78 signals in the areas maintained by CMS Systems stopped working, another 36 were not functioning in the areas managed by Keltron.

The new contracts have taken this into consideration to sort out this problem in the future,'' said S N Shrivastava, joint commissioner of police (traffic).

For complete article click here:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/delhi/Most-traffic-signals-went-on-the-blink-during-rain/articleshow/5011346.cms

NMC appoints new company to look after traffic signals

As per news article of 12th Sept. 2009

NMC said that the decision to appoint the new contractor was taken due to frequent complaints about many signals at important junctions like Rani Jhansi square, Shankar Nagar square, Rahate Colony, Ajni square, Reshimbagh square, Sakkardara square, Tukdoji Putla square, Gandhibagh square and Gaddigodam square.

"Unaware of non-functioning lights, motorists tend to ignore signs of policemen regulating the traffic. They block the way and choke the route," said head constable Shaikh Asif.

For complete article click here:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/nagpur/NMC-appoints-new-company-to-look-after-traffic-signals/articleshow/5000912.cms

Traffic Signals : Light at the end of Tunnel

As per an news article in TOID, Sep 4,2009

Delhi has around 725 signals and 424 blinkers. Over 90 signals remain bad in a typical day and in case of heavy rains the figure goes up to 130.

After months of chaos, now delhi police has invited a tender for maintainance and this time the contract includes a stringent panelty clause of non-performance.

Tender is publilishd on Aug 29,2009 for next 2 years and will include installation of new signals and blinkers.

If a traffic signal remain non functional for five days, police will not pay charges for maintaince charges for that signal and a penalty of Rs 500/- is charged after that..

For complete article click here

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4969293.cms

Idea shortlisted by "ET Power of Idea"

We submitted our business plan for Economic Times "Power of Idea" campaign in Feb 2009. Over 12000 people submitted their business plan. Out of which 1000 have been shortlisted for next step. Our idea on Traffic Fault Monitoring is one of them.

List of successful persons whose business plans have been selected is here

New Website to Beat Traffic Jams

As per a news article by atulmathur@hindustantimes.com in HT, March 29,2009 Shailash Sinha has launched a website thetrafficpeople.net.   

Sinha's company already provide traffic updates to various FM and TV Channels. 

People can register on this website and get regular traffic updates on their mobile phones.

Read the complete news article here.

Do we need traffic lights or Discipline

Traffic Signals signify Discipline, which of limited value and does not make us more virtuous.

In an articles in TOI, Mar 15,2009 issue, harsh kabra talks about usefulness of managing without traffic light (or discipline)

Read complete article here

Traffic Jams Triple Heart Rate Risk

As per a recent research conducted in Germany and presented at American Heart Association's 49th annual conference in Florida, it is reported that driving or riding in Heavy traffic poses an additional risk of eliciting a heart attack in persons already at elevated risk

View the complete articles in TOI, Delhi on March 15,2009  here or here

Pune: Huge response to traffic dept's invite for e-mailed plaints

Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Manoj Patil's invitation to the public to e-mail him traffic-related suggestions and complaints has met with an overwhelming response, with nearly four hundred responses being received in the past one-and-a-half months or so.

Read the full article here.

SCIENCE DAILY - Jan 8,2009 P2P Traffic Control: Wireless Technology Could Reduce Congestion, Accidents

Could a concept from Information Technology familiar to online file shares be exploited to reduce congestion and even traffic accidents?. 

This is the question answered in affirmative by researchers in california, writing in International Journal of Vehicle Information and Communication System.

Read the complete news here

SCIENCE DAILY - Jan 21,2008 - Stop Traffic Crashes - Switch on the lights

A news articles in Science Daily   says that as per WHO one million people die in road accidents ad 50 million are injured causing an estimated global bill of USD578 Billion.

Researchers found that street lighting reduced total crashes between 32 and 55% and fatal injury crashes by 77%

Without intervention, the number of death due to traffic crashes is expected to reach 2.3 million by 2020 and 9 out of 10 deaths will occur in low and middle income countries.

Read the complete news here.

Airtel powers traffic information system

Bharti Airtel, a private sector provider of telecommunications services have already launched India's First Transport Information System project in Bangalore in partnership with the Government of Karnataka.

This project have reportedly been installed in June 2007

View the complete article here.

Delhiites may soon get traffic alerts via SMS

As per a news article in 2007, Delhi Traffic Police was planning to install a Hi-Tech Traffic Information System that will alert consumers about jams and help them avoid traffic snarls.

As per the news a similar system is already installed in Banglore.

Wondering what is the status as on date.

View the article here.

Intelligent Traffic System Stuck In A Jam

It is not just road and flyover projects that are struggling to meet the common wealth deadline. Delhi Police ambitious Intelligent Traffic Systems (ITS) has also failed to make much progress.

Senior Police officers accept that with this kind of pace, the IT based traffic management system might not be available on key Delhi roads and intersections on time.

Even a project is not ready. Delhi police recently signed an agreement with RITES and a german company to prepare a road map for the project. Experts feel it would take at least one year from the date of the contract to have the traffic system in place.

In 2006, the Delhi Police launched an ITS based pilot project in Delhi, Three years hence they are still groping in the dark.

Complete article is available here

epaper format is here

Traffic Snarl snaps 1.75 Cr Man hour every day in Delhi/NCR

As per report Assocham, there is a working population of 70L and they waste 42 crore man hour every month (for 24 working days in a month) thanks to traffic congestion and increasing jams in the morning and evening rush hours.

As a result of large hours going awa in commuting, the productivity and creativity element of majority of working population is greatly affected.

Read complete article here at

Presentation to Amity, Noida students by MANAS and KANAV

On tuesday (Feb 24,2009) Manas Johri and Kanav Matta (both students of B Tech Computer Science- Amity , Noida) will be making presentation about "Role of Students in Commercial development of Traffic Controllers".

20 students have already registered for the seminar. This will be conducted in meeting room at Amity Innovation Incubator.

Call Manas (9911637925) or Kanav (9818465883) to register your name.

GVC won 2nd prize in Business Plan Competition at Amity

On 5th Feb, Vinay, Prachi M and Prachi A made a business plan presentation at Amity Business School. Jury included Nasscom Vice President,  Tech Tribe CEO, Sun CTO and senior members from Ministry of MSME and DST.

GVC won 2nd prize. Prize included a certificate, and cash prize of 10k. First prize had gone to "Cafe on Wheels" by IMI. They won cash prize of 20k.

GVC made presentation on fault monitoring systems in Traffic and other areas. 

More than cash prize, we were able to learn few blind spots in marketing and new opportunities. We also were able to speak to Nasscom VP when he visited our design lab at Amity Innovation Incubator

Traffic Signal Installed without Survey

As per a report in TOI (Kolkata) Dec 10,2008 - Traffic Signals are being installed without any survey. It also lists various conditions when a traffic signal is required.

New article is here 

Indian Express - Jan 6,2009 - 10 Lakh Spent yearly but traffic light timer still fails to keep time

Varun Chadha says that in Chandigarh despite spending 10 L per annum on maintenance of traffic light timer in the city commuters continue to be inconvenienced as majority of these traffic timers do not work.

Traffic police deptt has passed the buck to engineering deptt.

SP (Traffic) H S Doon says "when ever we come to know about non-functional timers, we immediately inform the engineering deptt. to carry out the rectification.

Executive engineer Ranjit Singh however maintained "There may be a minor problem. We will look into it and get it repaired as soon as possible"

See the complete news on indian express website

Printer friendly version is here

First Patent on traffic signal fault monitoring - Feb 1965

Based on my search on internet,  related to traffic signal failures and fault monitoring, I found the earliest patents was filed in Feb 1965. This was granted in Aug 1967. Patent number is 3336574.

First sheet of the patent is here

You can see and read the complete details on internet by clicking on next line (that is title of the patent).

Title : Auxiliary controllers for warning of malfunction for electrical traffic light systems 

Latest patent on Fault Monitoring of Traffic Signals

I searched for patents on Traffic Fault Monitoring Systems and found lot of patents granted in USA and found the latest  one was granted in Sep 2008. This carries the patent number 7425798 and complete details can be viewed on internet site that deals with US patent.

Title :  Intelligent Light degradation sensing LED traffic signal

TOI - 3rd Dec 2008 - Traffic Signals of the blink

Megha Suri and Spana Verma of TNN says that if you are increasing stuck at chaotic intersection where traffic signals are not working, you can blame the frenzied construction work, delayed repairs and general indifference of the authorities for your plight.

Commuters are outraged at apathy of traffic police. Said business man Sohail Khan: " I deal in electronics and can assure you that repairing a traffic light can't possibly take more than few hours. if signal like these are not working for days, it's obviously because of negligence and lack of accountability" 

There are 1190 signals in Capital and out of which 80 are claimed to be out of order.

Read complete news at TOI website.

Printer friendly version is here

Newspaper view is here

SRI LANKA RAILWAYS TO STRIKE AGAIN DUE TO DEFECTIVE TRAFFIC SIGNALS

As per a news article in leading newspaper of Colombo on Jan 15,2009

The main unions of Sri Lanka railways have decided to launch island wide strike due to unresolved issues.

Main issues are " DEFECTIVE TRAFFIC SIGNALS and SALRY ANOMALY"

Read the complete article here

Also read the status of Indian Traffic Signals in same blog. There were around 8 lakh signal failures in last seven years in Indian Railways

HT Impact - action taken by traffic signal agency

Five months after it stopped working,  a traffic signal at an extremely busy intersection is working at Delhi-Noida is back to work. After 15 days of report in HT (already covered in this blog) This signal was set right.

Great Job Abhishek Saran. You can write to him at abhishek.saran@hindustantimes.com

You can view the article here in HT Delhi Jan 30,2009

A web version is here 

Printer friendly version without photographs is here

TOI - JAN 22,2009 - Pedestrian Operated Traffic Signals Lying Defective

Megah Suri (megha.suri@timesgroup.com) wrote that as many as 1989 people died on Delhi roads last year, more than half were pedestrians.

But 42 pelican signals installed on accident prone stretches to help cross pedestrians cross the road safely are lying in disuse.

At foot of oberoi flyover, any one can switch off the signal as on/off switch has been provided on the pole and is open for tampering. 

Traffic police installed them at the cost of Rs 4 Lac each and still pedestrians have to face the risk of accident every time they run to cross the road.

Most of the pedestrians are not even aware about the signals as board indicating signals have vanished.

Complete article in TOI Jan 22,2009 is here

HT - Jan 15,2009 - DANGER ZONE - TRAFFIC SIGNAL NOT WORKING FOR 5 MONTHS

Dept red tape keeps traffic signal out of work for five months. According to Abhishek Saran (abhishek.saran@hindustantimes.com) "This is the ultimate in red tapism" 

By the way signal is being maintained by KELTRON, a public sector company. Deputy Commissioner of Police Suvashish Chaudhary assured that it will be done in 4 days.

A survey report done by Traffic Police says that 4643 vehicles cross this signal in morning and 5017 in the evening. 

For pedestrians this is a disaster.

Complete news article in HT Jan 15,2009 is here

HT Jan 31,2008 - Over 8 Lakh Signal Failures in Seven years

(head line is misprinted, check details/internet)

and 1500 accidents, 600 deaths and 2000 injuries. In an news article in HT by K.P. Narayana Kumar (narayana.k@livemint.com) based on RTI reply by railways. One retired person said that "India invests very little on improving signalling systems and we need to spend more on improving the system".

Govt has doubled spending to 4000 crore to upgrade signal systems in the country through a special safety fund. 

RTI reply says that "using non-standard and locally fabricated material, limited availability of supplies, ageing assets and delayed replacement along side mishandled equipments - caused signal failures"

For more details read HT Jan 31,2008 Delhi Edition (may be other cities also carried this on same/different dates)

 

Business Plan Entry for Tatva'09

Prachi Mahnot, Prachi Agarwal and Ashutosh have worked for whole day on Jan 25th,2009 to make a executive summary. The last date for same is Jan 26th midnigh.

Ashutosh, had very good fundas about business plan. The end result on 25th was excellent.Ashutosh further modified and sent another version at late night (or early morning)

I got enough motivation after seeing them and also reaslised that one of the reason for not growing financially was that I never gave serious time for business planning.

The credit goes to multiple person including Apoorv Sharma, Rahul Jain, Rahul Agarwal and of course these kids from Amity.