New Traffic Rules Get Knickers In A Twist

Gitchandra S Oinam *

Traffic congestion in Imphal

Manipur government has not a single one rupee coin budget for consultancy and expert hiring. The causes of mistake are, first I didn't know, second, I didn't think; and third, I didn't' care. "Indian babus are Asia's worse bureaucrats" (TIO report). Some of them are hot in wicked tricks and looting skills and feel themselves they are wise and tall! Never mind, it is a temporary pressure and not personal.

Blame it on Netas when popular government comes to power. When you hire people who are smarter than you are, you prove you are smarter than they are. That is why every government have engaged expert consultant on specific field because government officials knowledge is limited and officials need innovative idea and training from time to time.

Traffic regulations and management is a highly sophisticate transports engineering management science. It requires a lot of algebra, algorithms, buffer overflow network, architecture and design network, calculus, packet losses, performance analysis, sequencing and scheduling theory, traffic shaping verification and mechanical formula beside management and controlling to formulate traffic management. A bimodal urban traffic control strategy based on a multi-agent model we called bimodal traffic- a traffic which takes into account both private vehicles and public vehicles such as taxi, buses, trucks etc are practising world wide.

Modern traffic systems has traffic signal light, lane discipline, bifurcation of the road on both sides into two traffic lanes, automated roadway to carry out a traffic regulation system which allows to solve some problems of traffic congestion. More advance system of traffic management in big cities has no stoppage. Road connectivity (traffic crossing) is designed in rotary intersection – a systematic engineering of round flyover type without any stoppage (no red light); for example, AIMMS road connecting system in Ned Delhi.

The main objects of providing a rotary are to eliminate the necessity of stopping even for crossing streams for vehicles and to reduce the area of conflict. The crossing of vehicles is avoided by allowing all vehicles to merge into the stream around the rotary and then to diverge out to the desired radiating road.

The new automated system is modular in nature for ease in future up gradation and maintenance. The systems are designed to handle valuable and sensitive data and have incorporated number of security features. The objective of automating the traffic police force is to maintain the details pertaining to various functions of the traffic police. The system shall provide varied information and reports to the higher officials as and when required.

The main objective of the automation shall be to integrate and network the system with state of the art hardware and application software for police force to access and use the Information in their day-to-day duties. This traffic regulation system employs the infra-red light detector to detect whether the pedestrian in the second direction has safely passed through the pedestrian crossing. Therefore, the present traffic regulation system can effectively avoid traffic accidents involving pedestrians.

Complex engineering systems, such as transportation and energy systems, have shaped our modern society. If we are to prevent failures in these systems, we need to have a clear view on the different elements – technical as well as social – that determine their functioning. Any method of prevention or problem-solving, however, is strongly shaped by the way these socio-technical systems are perceived. In other words, the conceptualization of a socio-technical problem determines which routes are explored.

Effective and sustained implementation relies on good planning, adequate technical capacity and appropriate cooperation between the traffic police and agencies (usually local government) that install traffic management equipment such as traffic lights, barriers, and others. Not all of these elements are always present in Asian cities, and such deficiencies can affect implementation success.

A critical issue concerns the traffic police who play a role in enforcement, but are rarely equipped with the appropriate training for planning, implementation, and management of the traffic management measures they are entrusted with. All Asian cities have some form of traffic management system in place. To date, the emphasis has been on the "hardware" rather than the "software."

Traffic management schemes should be designed to deal with unique traffic flow characteristics. Low cost and quickly implemented schemes catering to the specific needs of each vehicle type, including NMVs( non motor vehicles) and pedestrians, are needed. In urban road networks, the junctions are the determinants of road network capacity. Grade junctions also play an important role in providing safe pedestrian road crossing.

Once traffic volumes increase, the usual response is to allocate as much road space as possible to vehicles at the expense of NMVs and pedestrians. NMVs and pedestrians often face badly when new roads are constructed or when existing roads are widened. The space they formerly used for movement and parking is often allocated to traffic, without any consideration of how to mitigate NMV displacement. Good planning requires that essential NMV movements be catered for with well-designed, safe and convenient facilities.

Lazily, I was pushed to open books on traffic management even I don't see by naked eyes what is the real traffic problem in Manipur, but I have learnt it from newspapers and You Tube uploaded- ICTV news about the traffic congestion in Imphal city and around greater Imphal area. Perhaps, my knowledge for Imphal city traffic congestion may not be sufficient for giving better inputs and accuracy but hopefully, I can share my idea for the improvement of traffic regulations and management in the existing system of Imphal city. We are not much aggressive stalker as you presume, we are ready to support and encourage if somebody does new and good. Judge each day not by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.

Bhai! You did as it said-- If you don't know how to do a task, start it, then ten people who know less than you will tell you how to do it. Go Ahead! No consultant will come in Manipur to help your existing traffic problem. It is almost outdated manual system. At the end, consultants would like to say-- change the structure that is called Master Plan.

But never mind, I will suggest you some formula to fit in the existing system temporarily, whether it is suitable for application or not is your duty to find out. There are many design, theorem for traffic regulations and management; however, it may not be fit in the existing Imphal city, even your Singapore experience won't work. First of all- divide traffic regulations and management system of Imphal city into 1) traffic regulation 2) public transport management and 3) parking a lot; for your easy analytical solution.

The traffic regulations should cover all aspects of control of vehicle, driver and other road users. The regulations should be rational. Traffic regulations and laws give legal coverage for strict enforcement. The traffic laws implemented by legislative laws are obligatory on all road users. The laws should however be uniform and clear.

Traffic regulations and laws cover the following four phases.
1) Driver controls - These include driving licenses for light and heavy motor vehicles, driver tests and minimum requirements, financial responsibility and civil liability
2) Vehicle controls - The various regulations and controls on vehicles are vehicle registration, requirements of vehicles, equipment and accessories, maximum dimensions and weight and fitness and inspection of vehicles.
3) Flow regulations- Regulations of traffic flow have been laid down such as direction, turning and overtaking, etc. In addition control of vehicle operation in traffic stream are made using appropriate regulatory signs like one way, speed limit, prohibitory signs, pedestrian controls, etc
4) General controls- Some other general regulations and provisions are made to report accidents and recording and disposing traffic violation cases.

Min-Plus System Theory for Constrained Traffic Regulation and Dynamic Service Guarantees;

By extending the system theory under the (min; +)-algebra to the time varying setting, we solve the problem of constrained traffic regulation and develop a calculus for dynamic service guarantees. For a constrained traffic regulation problem with maximum tolerable delay "d" and maximum buffer size q, the optimal regulator that generates the output traffic conforming to a sub additive envelope f and minimizes the number of discarded packets is a concatenation of the g-clipper with g(t) = min[f(t + d); f(t) + q] and the maximal f-regulator.

The g-clipper is a buffer less device which optimally drops packets as necessary in order that its output is conformant to an envelope g. The maximal f-regulator is a buffered device that delays packets as necessary in order that its output is conformant to an envelope f. The maximal f-regulator is a linear time invariant filter with impulse response f, under the (min; +)-algebra.

To provide dynamic service guarantees in a network, we develop the concept of a dynamic server as a basic network element. Dynamic servers can be joined by concatenation, "filter bank summation," and feedback to form a composite dynamic server. Dynamic service guarantees for multiple input streams sharing a work conserving link can be achieved by a dynamic SCED (Service Curve Earliest Deadline) scheduling algorithm, if an appropriate admission control is enforced. One possible application of the time varying filtering theory is dynamic admission control.

Keywords: constrained traffic regulation, traffic clipping, service guarantees, min-plus algebra, scheduling, admission control says "by extending the filtering theory under the (min; +)-algebra to the time varying setting, we solved the problem of constrained traffic regulation." For a constrained traffic regulation problem with maximum tolerable delay d and maximum buffer size q, we showed that the optimal regulator that generates the output traffic conforming to a dynamic envelope F and minimizes the number of discarded packets is a concatenation of the maximal dynamic G-clipper with G(s; t) = min [F_(s; t + d); F_(s; t) + q] and the maximal dynamic F-regulator.

Now answer this question. Where are the traffic congestion points in Imphal? Say for example, Khuyathong, Keishampar, Kanglapat Road, Waheng Leikai, Uripok, Moirangkhom etc. What are the factors of traffic congestion? What is the volume of vehicular movement per minute and where to go from which direction during the pick hour timing / normal timing? What is the actual capacity volume of vehicular movement per minute of the road? Do you find road side parking of vehicles on the congestion road? How the vehicular regulation is practicing at intersection point (traffic point--road crossing / signal light) and interval of time say 1-3 minutes? Does vehicular people are aware of traffic congestion like helpful means of road diversion or information?

Traffic congestion at road intersection point details—for example, Keisampat junction is always traffic jam because of excessive volume of vehicular movement from all direction – say 1) Kwakeithel, 2) Keisamthong, 3) Waheng Leikai, and 4) Paona Bazaar and Governor Road side. Keisampat junction is an important traffic point. Capacity of vehicular movement for road say 20 vehicles per minute but the actual vehicular movement is multiple. In the existing system, second traffic controlling points of vehicular movement are Waheng Leikai and Governor Gate intersection points (crossing). However, both the second line controlling points are equally voluminous and traffic congested.

Now, open second line traffic controlling point at Kawakeithel and Keisamthong to reduce the volume and traffic movement by setting varying interval of time. So that, traffic congestion at Keisampat junction will be reduced by just fraction of minutes traffic volume controlling at Keisamthong and Kwakeithel. Road must be divided by a partition plastic poles at intersection points (no divided at present) to clear the road for opposite vehicle movement. Most often, crossing points are congested because of over take by one vehicle to another by crossing other side of road; consequently, it has blocked the road of vehicular movement of opposite side.

However, traffic controlling system at Kwakeithel and Keisamthong will be less effective because of many inlets and outlets (Leirak). Therefore, inlets and outlets (Leirak) system has to be made on left turn only (no right turn) during pick hours. How many Leiraks (inlet and outlet) are found in one kilometer distance road in Imphal? For example, vehicle coming out from "Hodam Leirak" can't go on Yelang Leikai side (right). If they want to go to Yelang Leikai they must move on Tulihal Airport road side outlet (left).

Fortunately, most of the Leirak has many intersection points from one road to another. In such a way, traffic can be regulated opening second line traffic control points at Palace Gate, Moirangkhom, Singjamei, Wangkhei, Tera, Khurai, Uripok Naorem Leikai etc. please check, where the volume of Kanglapat Road and Khuyathong road are coming from and where to go? Most people wants shortest and nearest road destination. If you know the traffic congestion at Khuyathong and Kangla Pat Road, you can give traffic guideline for road diversion and safety information at near second line traffic regulation points by signal / sign board or announcement.

Controlling System- How it work?

What is the actual strength of traffic police? Staff strength may be about 200-300 personals under one DSP. Are the traffic police staffs well trained or well equip? State traffic police are not issuing wireless Walky–Talky as other city provided to traffic police. Traffic signal lights are none functioning and no surveillance CCTV camera are installed. Traffic controlling system is manual and they are working under day to day routine instruction. One or two petrol parties will supervise and some lady traffic police will dance their hand signal to go or stop.

What to do?

Now, submit a list of requisition proposal to state government. Government would like say, Darling! We have no budget for increasing staff strength. Sorry, no fund for issuing wireless walky-talky, surveillance camera, motor bike, computerized control room, even for loud speaker and sign board. Government would argue that road partition plastic pole is useless and expensive; somebody will throw it out in two/ three days?

So, what to do? Engage some 100 VVFs- there is one reason why VVFs would prefer to this job. Buy some plastic wire for road partition at intersection points (crossing). Make a group formation of 4 VVFs each to do duty at traffic congestion area, second line traffic points including leirak machin (small inlet and outlet point).

First three-four days will be engaged on counting numbers of vehicular movement on the road per hour. With this data of vehicular movement, traffic police can made a chart of vehicular movement, stoppage interval time say 1-2-3 minutes for first direction, second direction, and pedestrian and third direction, and road diversion map. Controlling system and time setting of time interval system can be done by mobile phone network.

To reduce the traffic volume at Keisamat junction during pick hour, second line controlling system at Kwakeithel will be release the vehicular movement towards Keisampat at an interval of 3 minutes against the normal interval time of 1-2 minute according to the volume of vehicles. Bulk SMS of traffic updated will be useful. In big cities- GPRS and FM radio updated traffic information.

Public Transport Management System:

Surprise! World must be wonder to know that there is no city bus service in Imphal. So, there is no need for discussion about bus stand and bus stoppage timing and location. TATA magic passenger service presently operating in Imphal shall not be station in group at one location unless public transport depot. A public/ private transport depot can be place at any isolated space available at the head or tail or middle of the rout.

However, public transport vehicle shall not be stop long at stand waiting passenger to fill up. Tata Magic / Bus stops may be located on the near side of intersections or at mid block. The choice of location will depend on the geometric design of the intersection, the proximity of large generators of passengers, whether turn in movements are permitted to far side bus stops include;

1. They make the curb lane available for traffic, increasing the intersection capacity.
2. They reduce conflicts between stopped transport vehicle/buses and right turning vehicles.
3. They lessen the problem of buses blocking the view of drivers approaching the intersection
4. They reduce pedestrian accidents

On the other hand, near side Tata Magic/ bus stops are preferred where transit flows are heavy but traffic and parking problems are not extensive. Near side stops are usually near a crosswalk, making it easier for passengers to board the transport vehicle. Also, with near side stops there is less interference with traffic turning into bus route from a side street. Furthermore, public transport drivers tend to prefer near side stops because it is easier for the vehicle to re-enter the traffic stream, especially where curb parking is allowed.

Parking a lot

In cities the problem of parking vehicles is becoming more and more acute day by day. When vehicles are parked on the road side, even for a short while there is restriction to other vehicles passing by, resulting in congestion and accidents. In shopping centres, public places and localities with offices there is a shortage of parking facilities. Proper design of parking facilities is essential in cities and large towns. Rates parking, this consists of-- a) Rates based on time of parking, with the intention of allowing parking more evenly. b) High parking rates at locations with high traffic flow.

When parking facility is provided at a separate place away from the kerb, it is known as off street parking. The main advantage of this method is that there is no undue congestion and delay on the road as in kerb parking. But the main draw back is some of the owners will have to walk a greater distance after parking the vehicle. It is also not possible to provide the off street parking facility at very close intervals especially in business centres of a city. Two basic types of off street parking facilities are surface parking lots and multi floor parking garages

Parking lots may be convenient where sufficient space is available at comparatively low cost. The parking of vehicles may be done by owners or drivers of the cars and then this is called self parking system. If the vehicle is left by the owner at the entrance space and again collected from there, the parking and delivering operations being carried out by attendants, it is called attendant parking system. Most important advantage of attendant parking is less space required to store and maneuvers the same number of cars.

Parking the vehicles are parked on the curb designed for parking is known as "Curb parking" which is quite convenient for those who could find a suitable space to park their vehicles near the place they wish to stop, but for others who could not find a parking space it is a problem and often they may have to park their vehicles at a far off place and walk down to the destination.

Unless curb parking facility has been adequately designed in advance while planning a new town, it might lead to a lot of inconvenience and congestion due to decreased road capacity as well increase in accidents. Curb parking facility may be either unrestricted or restricted type. The restricted curb parking my either be controlled by police or by meters and a certain fee is collected from these who park their vehicles for a certain duration of parking time.

Why should we not encourage private players to open motor parking business? Usha cinema, Victory- Pratap halls can be converted into modern multi story parking. If you know the heavy demand of parking you would have not doubt to do this most profitable and no loss business. Fly over designed parking on Nambul Nala and Kangla Pat would be the best and last option of the government for public parking facilities.

Temporarily, you can open Kangla Fort for public parking and it would have good income for Kangla Ford development or open Kangla Fort to trespass to reduce traffic congestion at Kangla Pat road. I am telling you just only the means but I don't know whether this idea would be acceptable by the people or not.

If you ask my opinion I would say these are all ridiculous "Evil Laugh." I wonder why they are too much interested to confine in one kilometer radius. Keep Paona Bazar and Thangal Bazar remained as old Bazar and develop a new beautiful planned market and office complex somewhere!