The Hindu 27.04.2013
VMC to introduce Intelligent Traffic Management System
‘Smart city’ concept is catching up, says Municipal Commissioner.
The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation is working on an Intelligent Traffic Management System to be introduced on the BRTS Road.
“We
need smart technologies to manage traffic efficiently,” said Municipal
Commissioner S. Panda Das on Friday. Pointing to the fact ‘smart city’
concept was catching up, he said that all stakeholders such as street
vendors and others would have to be involved in the traffic management
drive.
He was speaking as part of a discussion on
‘Expansion and Development of Vijayawada City’ organised by the
Vijayawada chapter of CREDAI (Confederation of Real Estate Developers’
Association of India).
“Expansion of cities is a
natural phenomenon. It is very important to look at the broader
development of the city but the Corporation has its own limits. The
image of a city can improve only when its peripheral areas develop,” he
said, listing out infrastructure, recreational facilities, traffic
management, sanitation and water supply as basic features required for
developing a city.
Visionary leaders, said Mr. Das,
could help a great deal on this count. Pointing to the narrow road
which, he said, posed a major challenge to development plans, he said to
develop a peripheral area, one had to face initial hurdles to enjoy
long-term benefits.
Stressing the need to develop
infrastructure resources like roads, drains and other facilities, he
said the city had high potential on the recreation front. “This city has
developed along canals which can be beautified by keeping them
litter-free. A big park can be developed for some lung space, a place
where people can distress,” he suggested.
Ramesh
Srikonda, Head of the Architecture Department in the School of Planning
and Architecture, Vijayawada, listed out development options, through a
power point presentation. Explaining about the real estate scenario in
India, he explained about the planning initiatives citing appropriate
examples, the ToD (Transit Oriented Development) and facility corridor
and resource generation.
Elaborating on how to bring
in urban designs to the city, he stressed the need for cyclist-friendly
and pedestrian-friendly roads in the city. Beautification of canals by
transforming them into recreation hubs and introduction of waterless
urinals were among his other proposals.
Earlier,
CREDAI’s Vijayawada chapter president Y.V. Ramana Rao, urged the VMC to
develop roads, drainage and power supply in peripheral areas to enable
developers take up projects there.
Roads and drains
He
also urged UDA to construct roads and drains between Eluru Road and
Bandar Road to reduce pressure on the highly populated area and pave the
way for organised growth of the city.
Satellite Township on Hyderabad road, construction of flyovers and expansion of Gannavaram airport were other demands.
Andhra Chamber of Commerce and Industry president M. Murali Krishna and others were present.