Smart City projects ease traffic management in Ranchi

Corridor & junctions’ improvement

AFTER JHARKHAND’S FORMATION, Ranchi became the state capital. The population doubled in the last two decades, and vehicles increased many manyfolds. As a result, the city’s traffic system has become congested, and traffic jams have become common.

In 2015, PM Narendra Modi launched the Smart City Mission Scheme, and Ranchi was selected as one of the cities under the Fast Track City Competition in 2016. The City Development Plan under the Mission focused on revitalizing the city’s traffic system. Under the C4 project, the Adaptive Traffic Control System (ATCS) has been installed at 40 intersections to manage traffic. The city’s Command Control and Communication Centre provided real-time data on vehicles passing through various intersections. It has reduced the waiting time at the traffic signals and eased the traffic. Also, through the Smart City’s Command Control and Communication Centre, many devices have been installed in the city, through which the traffic police gets real-time data on vehicles passing through various city intersections. Based on this, the police prepare a traffic plan. Based on this data, the left lane has been made free at many city

With aid from Integrated Command and Control Centre and ATCS, the Smart City Corporation also built and introduced a Green Corridor to ensure that critical patients who need health treatment could be transported from hospitals to the airport quickly in any emergency situation. They can be sent to health facilities in Delhi, Hyderabad or Chennai by air ambulance. Junctions have been renovated to streamline transportation infrastructure, and designated bus and auto stops have been created to reduce congestion. These initiatives have ensured that citizens can avail of emergency services without any hassle.

Promotion of NMT

Additionally, the Smart City Mission has promoted non-motorized transport, with over 600 bicycles and 60 stations provided for public use in 1st phase and another 60 stations and 600 bicycles are in trial for 2nd phase. Under the public bicycle sharing system, common people use these bicycles for short distances instead of motorcycles and cars, due to which the pollution level in the city is decreasing, and the number of vehicles at a time is relatively less. With the help of these cycles, traffic jams and congestion on city roads have been reduced to a great extent. Under the impactful project of Ranchi Smart City, a smart four-lane road connecting the airport to Hinoo Chowk, with utility services located underground, has been built. Along the road, there is a footpath and a cycling lane.

Cleared footpath, created a dedicated market for street vendors

Under the impactful project of Ranchi Smart City, Ranchi Municipal Corporation freed Mahatma Gandhi Marg from vendors operating from the footpath. After surveying, it constructed Atal Vendors Market equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. Vendors were relocated to Atal Vendors Market, and similarly, a vegetable and fruit market was created near Nagababa Khatal. Pedestrians benefited from the empty footpaths, and the roads appeared wider, reducing the problem of traffic jams. Due to this, the pressure of traffic jams on Raj Bhavan, Ratu Road intersection and Upper Bazar has been reduced. Many vendors have also been shifted from around the Morhabadi ground.

Disciplined Traffic

As a result of the Smart City Corporation’s monitoring, people in Ranchi are adhering to traffic regulations more frequently. Fewer accidents have occurred, and the pressure on the police to manage traffic has been reduced. Earlier, over 750 traffic personnel were required to handle the traffic efficiently, but now the requirement has come down to 300. Adaptive Traffic Control System has been adopted in Ranchi by Ranchi Smart City Corporation Limited and has brought revolutionary changes in the Traffic Management of the city which is in tune with the modern cities of the country.