First in country: KSRTC brakes to be controlled by server
Srirangapatna (Mandya), Nov 18 (DHNS): For the first time in the country, Mysore will pilot the project of the ‘Intelligent Transport Enterprise Innovation and Planning Scheduling’, which will monitor the movement of KSRTC buses, send emergency messages, as well as control the brakes through Vehicle Mounted Unit (VMU), if the driver is driving haphazardly.
This innovation is taking the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) a step further to avoid untoward incidents and mishaps. The brake control of the bus has always been with the driver. But henceforth, it will be manned by the Control Room. Also, the buses installed with GPS will be monitored through central server at the control room.
The driver will be issued warnings if found driving improperly. A push SMS will alert the authorities, including depots, line checking squads and Managing Director. If the driver is speeding without heeding to the warnings, the engine will also be immobilised. He will made answerable to the depot management, where he will have to give an explanation as to why the bus was stopped. The driver will be cautioned, and only then the engine will be restarted by the control room.
The driver will also be pulled up if he does not stop at the scheduled places like bus stands. The system will be installed in the city buses as a pilot project, which will be later extended to other districts and States.
Executive Director of Association of State Road Transport Undertaking (ASRTU) P S Anand Rao at a workshop on the technology, said that the technology was available in the country with Bosch and Ashok Leyland companies. “The manufacturing unit monitors loading of the engines and their capacity. However, this is the first time in India that it will be installed in public road transport system,” he said.
Rao said that the Intelligent Transport Enterprise Planning system will plan, schedule, route and model the transport system to ensure safety, security and speed control. Cameras will also be installed in the buses to check untoward incidents within the bus.
Also, following the Delhi gang rape incident, a provision has been put in place where alerts from within the bus will be sent to the control room and police. The alert will be sent, if the screaming level is beyond a limit. CCTV cameras too will be installed to check crimes.
Rao also said that interaction with the control room while sending SOS messages would also be made available in the buses, in cases of emergencies. During fire accidents or any other mishaps, the driver, can make use of the VMU by pushing the red button (signal) which will instantly reach the control room. Traffic jams also can be avoided by using the same button with which the driver can re-route the bus as well as other vehicles, caught in traffic. He said ‘Auto Scheduling’, which has been implemented in three buses in Urban limits of Mysore Division will be extended when the pilot project is introduced.
CEO of Lumiplan India, a subsidiary of Lumiplam France, David Moszkowicz, which is implementing the system in India, said that the pilot project is funded by the French government, while the company was implementing it with the infrastructure provided by the ASRTU. He said that the existing system was in need of comparison, proper scheduling and calculating, to ensure a better transport system.