The Bengaluru Traffic Police have finally started a trial run of the Japanese MODERATO technology for adaptive traffic signals at three important signals in the Central Business District (CBD), a move that could help alleviate traffic congestion in the area. The project, which was first proposed in 2014, began groundwork in July 2021. Delays in completion were mainly due to ongoing infrastructure projects like the Namma Metro.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) and supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), aims to modernize traffic management with advanced Adaptive Signal Control Technology (ASCT). Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M.N. Anucheth sees the trial run as a crucial step. If successful, the plan is to expand the system to all 28 identified signals in the area.
Key features of the ASCT system include automatic traffic counters, classifiers to analyze vehicle movement patterns, and queue-length monitoring at key junctions. The central control software, MODERATO, allows for real-time optimization of signal phases and timings to adapt to changing traffic demands.