Traficon, the world’s leading video detection specialist, has been
awarded a contract for delivering over 700 vehicle presence detectors for intelligent traffic control in
the cities of Mumbai and Chennai. For Traficon, this major contract is an important strategic breakthrough
into this fast-growing Indian market.
Sukhdev Bhogal, Business Development Director for India, explains the story behind: “Traffic management has been a challenge in India for some time – and it’s becoming more difficult with
every passing day. In addition to increasing traffic congestion and complexity, the urban areas are also
faced with other transport-related problems such as increasing CO2 emissions and depleting fuel resources,
which adversely impact the well-being of any major city.
But cities like Mumbai and Chennai are taking up the challenge. Next to building new roads, they are
investing heavily in advanced technologies and intelligent solutions that optimize traffic management. And
this is where Traficon’s field-proven technology comes in. It’s being utilized as part of Area Traffic Control
(ATC) project to ensure the traffic flows safer and smoother.”
In Mumbai, nearly 700 vehicle presence detectors – both TrafiCam and TrafiCam x-stream – will be installed
at various busy road junctions controlled by traffic signals. By detecting both waiting and approaching
vehicles, these intelligent ‘all-in-one’ cameras will be used for optimization of traffic signal timings and to cut
down waiting time at traffic lights. TrafiCam x-stream being an IP-addressable device also provides MPEG-
4 colour streaming video in the control center for general intersection surveillance.
The use of these above-ground detectors forms part of the Mumbai City Mobility Management project. This
project includes the implementation of an Adaptive Traffic Control System (ATCS), provided and
coordinated by Telvent. Based on the information coming from the sensors or surveillance devices, this
state-of-the-art system alters traffic signal cycles in real time to respond to changing traffic conditions. Once
fully operational, ATCS is expected to cut down waiting time at traffic signals by almost half.
For the city of Chennai, the decision to use Traficon’s integrated video sensor technology was taken after a
competitive bidding mid 2010. Today up to 100 TrafiCam sensors are installed and operational to detect
waiting vehicles at multiple intersections across the city.
Mr Bhogal’s views about the impact of these contracts for Traficon: “First of all I’m honoured that cities like Mumbai and Chennai have chosen our technology. It proves that
they are convinced that our products are capable of meeting up with the latest and toughest requirements in
terms of intelligent and dynamic traffic control in cities.
And secondly, India’s vibrant economy and its growing traffic industry offer an excellent expansion
opportunity. These major contracts fit perfectly with our growth strategy and with our objective to penetrate
new high-potential markets. So we are convinced this is just the beginning for Traficon in India.”
