NPC considering traffic monitoring using Google data

The National Police Commission (NPC) said it was hoping to control the increasing levels of traffic in major cities with the help of Google Data.

At its weekly meeting last week attended by Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara, Moratuwa University's transport expert Professor Amal Kumarage presented a memorandum on how Google data could be used to resolve the mounting traffic issues.

His detailed presentation included how best to improve Transport Traffic Management in Sri Lanka, based on specially designed software and explained the magnitude of the traffic problems faced by major cities in Sri Lanka including Colombo and Kandy.

Prof. Kumarage's presentation was made on the initiative of the Committee on Motor Traffic and Tourist Police, appointed by the NPC to look into policy issues related to Traffic and the Tourist police.

The NPC said it was one of the seven committees appointed by its Chairman P.H. Manathunga in 2017 to identify and address priority areas which needed immediate intervention by the Police.

“The huge increase in the use of private vehicles and a deterioration of public transportation such as train and bus services, has led to the increase in private vehicles causing severe congestion in towns, with an increasing number of road accidents. Private vehicles not only causes traffic and vehicle accidents but also aggravate environmental problems, loss of useful man-hours and fuel. As a result, major cities would become unlivable in the near future,” the NPC said in a statement.

Prof. Kumarage underscored the fact that Transport Traffic Management in Sri Lanka could be effectively handled and coordinated with the Ministry of Transport, Provincial Transport Ministries, Traffic Police, Urban Development Authority and the Department of Motor Traffic. (Darshana Sanjeewa)