The reign of Artificial Intelligence in traffic management has begun on a breezy note. On Thursday, 13 road locations in Goa which have come under the surveillance of CCTV cameras, went about the job seamlessly detecting around 600 road violations, with the busy Merces junction alone accounting for 422 offenders.
The detection signals a positive step in bringing discipline to roads. However, mere detection of violators will not help, and what is more critical is the timely issue of challans. When CCTV monitoring was earlier introduced, challans reached motorists even a good three years later, making it difficult for people to comprehend or recollect the offence. The objective of disciplining is lost.
Further, any new system or order that is introduced needs time to make an impact. The State may not see an immediate drop in accident rate due to the enhanced surveillance. It is only a sustained effort to discipline traffic that could yield results in the long run.
On paper, the introduction of AI in traffic management is looked upon in hope because our enforcement was falling short; add to this the question of the integrity of those manning the roads.
Technology has helped many states manage and discipline traffic, and some states that have taken a head start, like Kerala and the metros of Karnataka, have seen results. For example, Kerala has stated that its traffic violations have halved since the cameras were installed.
While Goa has taken a step forward, it is baffling to understand the reluctance to push the pedal against offenders. The plan to operationalise smart cameras in May was put on hold on the premise of creating ‘awareness’. The question is, why is the ‘violator’ being shielded when Goa is witnessing bloodbaths on roads regularly? What has been the outcome of awareness?
Innocent lives are lost in road accidents. In the past three days, there have been two deaths of young children. A 10-year-old girl was run over by a minibus at Pajifond, Margao, on May 31, while on May 29, a truck ran over a 6-year-old boy at Siolim while reversing. These are horror stories that no person would like to hear, and deaths continue to pile on the roads because of reckless driving.
There is a need for more AI-controlled systems along other routes because, despite the police bosses taking comfort in the math of averages, there has been no respite to fatalities. As we advance, we must embrace technology because policing has been patchy.
Take the case of the recent crackdown over the Zuari bridge that drew everyone’s attention, where even vehicles of police and district authorities were among the many who were penalised for taking the no-entry lane of the new Zuari bridge. It was a welcome step against blatant violations, and it showed that police had spine. However, it appeared to be a one-day phenomenon to grab the optics and nothing else as motorists continued to use the road, caring less about the rules.
In Goa’s context, AI could be the game changer for traffic management because it will hopefully be consistent and mainly insensitive to the stature of individuals and situations. But, all said and done, while AI will do its part, it is to be seen if traffic police will do theirs.
