HYDERABAD: The city’s average traffic speed of 25 kmph is the highest among major metropolitan cities in India, Hyderabad commissioner of police CV Anand said on Friday.He was speaking at the ‘Traffic Action Plan’ meeting held at the Telangana Integrated Command and Control Centre, Banjara Hills.
“Despite the city adding nearly 1,600 new vehicles to the roads every day, we aim to improve the average speed to 27 kmph,” Anand said. “Currently, about 91 lakh vehicles ply on Hyderabad roads daily, which shows a 45% surge since the Covid pandemic. The key to managing this growing volume lies in effective signal management,” he added. At the event, Hyderabad city police also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Google to implement Operation Green Light, a collaborative initiative aimed at optimising traffic signals. “Every time someone uses Google Maps for navigation, data is generated about traffic flow and congestion,” a senior police official explained. “With this MoU, we will use that real-time data to manage signal timings better. This will not only help reduce waiting time at signals but also cut down on greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. Officials said the system will also help monitor sudden incidents or route deviations, allowing quicker alerts and responses by the traffic police. Highlighting other traffic management efforts, the city police commissioner said, “We are currently using two drones and 25 high-rise CCTV cameras for surveillance, and more will be added soon.” He also lauded the role of transgender assistants deployed at traffic signals, a govt initiative introduced in Dec 2024. Anand assured that the police are also preparing for the upcoming monsoon season with appropriate precautionary measures.
