Pune's traffic update website to be launched

A Website to be launched by the traffic police promises to make your commute through the city a breeze. The site will have real-time updates of traffic jams, accidents and other traffic-related information, besides maps of all city roads and one-ways, to help you plan your route.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Manoj Patil said the website was being developed for the traffic branch by a local NGO, Janwani.

"We already have cameras installed at major traffic junctions that help us record the flow of traffic and the patterns to it. But this data is for our use and common people cannot avail of this benefit. We have now decided to go a step further and make all traffic data available to the public through a website exclusively for the traffic branch," said Patil.

The website will have multiple features like maps of city roads, alternative routes and by-lane charts, day-to-day updates of traffic regulations such as one-ways and closure of roads due to VIP movements, besides the real-time data updated by the hour on traffic jams and major accidents in the city.

"We are now in talks with the technical team, who will tell us what all features we can use in the website. The plan should be ready and implemented in a few weeks," said Kishori Gadre, director of Janwani.

The site is also expected to have links for lodging complaints, giving suggestions on traffic problems, reporting recurrent traffic gridlocks and other traffic issues.

"The website is also likely to have information on traffic offences, fines, the authorities with whom you can make a complaint, besides other useful traffic data," said Gadre.

Patil, who is confident the website will be all the rage because of the real-time data on traffic movement, said such a system was necessary to reduce traffic bottlenecks.

"I am sure the website would get a great response and considering the overwhelmingly high number of vehicles in the city, such innovative ideas can help us reduce bottlenecks," said Patil. "The website is still being worked on, and we are hoping to get in the maximum possible features for public use."