City Buzz: AI signals reduce traffic | Huge rally by Kolkata docs… and more

Other news: Climate Institute in Ahmedabad; Massive retail space expansion in small cities and housing prices surge in top cities.

Bengaluru’s AI signals reduce traffic flow

New AI-powered signals, as part of the Bengaluru Adaptive Traffic Control System (or BATCS) scheme have enabled Hudson Circle junction, in the heart of the city, show a 33% reduction in travel time, according to the traffic police. It utilises the Composite Signal Control Strategy (CoSiCoSt), developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), to measure dynamic traffic flow, using camera sensors to change signal timings.

The BATCS covers 60 junctions, including National College, Town Hall and Halasuru Gate junctions. Its aim is to cover 165 junctions by January and 500 by March 2025. In the 60 functioning junctions, the signals run automatically 90% of the time, in the Vehicle Actuated Control (VAC) or the ATCS mode, for the first time during peak hours.

Its centralised monitoring allows for quicker responses to traffic fluctuations and synchronisation of signals on major corridors, prioritises emergency vehicles and can accommodate pedestrian and public transport needs.

However, traffic police sources admitted that AI signals have “failed” to alleviate traffic during peak hours.

Source: Deccan Herald, Livemint


Read more: How traffic violations cause road accidents


Huge rally by Kolkata doctors

West Bengal junior doctors continued with their indefinite hunger strike in Kolkata. They called on the public to observe ‘Arandhan’ or no cooking on Ekadashi, the seventh day of the fast, in demand for justice and a safer working environment for medicos. Meanwhile, the health condition of Aniket Mahato, a junior doctor who was hospitalised due to his fast since Sunday, is now critical but stable.

The strike was supported by senior doctors across the country. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) urged chief minister Mamata Banerjee to respond and the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) also warned of a nationwide shutdown of medical services in case of harm on junior doctors.

Meanwhile, at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, senior doctors and faculty submitted a mass resignation letter, with concern over the “deteriorating” health of six of their colleagues on hunger strike.

The government is proceeding with upgrade schemes, such as installing 7,051 CCTVs, 893 new duty rooms, 778 washrooms, lighting arrangements, alarm systems, biometric access control, grievance units and redressal committees in various medical centres.

Source: Deccan Herald, India Today

Climate Institute set up in Ahmedabad

With global collaboration and partnerships for research and technology, the Climate Institute was inaugurated at the Ahmedabad University. It will explore solutions related to environmental degradation and set up programmes for mid-career government and industry professionals.

The ‘Climate, Energy, and Environment’ undergraduate education programme will be set up in 2026. It will provide a platform for global research collaboration and partnerships with US, Europe and Asian universities. The Cities and Settlements vertical will also take forward the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change‘s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), looking into urbanisation and climate change, with a focus on the Global South.

Source: Indian Express


Read more: Civic amenities and urban growth: Lessons from a design jam on Bengaluru BBMP Bye-laws


Massive retail space expansion in small cities

Smaller Tier-II and Tier-III cities are poised to host 25 million square feet (msf) of retail supply in the next six years, according to a JLL India report. The growth is mainly driven by increasing consumer demand and availability of land, though markets would lack quality retail developments.

Sources said that north Indian Tier-II and Tier-III cities, such as Ludhiana, Jaipur and Lucknow would contribute to 44% of the supply, while south Indian cities would contribute 30%, the leaders being Coimbatore, Mallapuram, Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram. However, in eastern India, the supply would be 4.5 msf, led mainly by Guwahati. Western India has major developers with large-scale, high-quality retail projects in cities such as Goa, Surat, and Ahmedabad.

Reliance mart in Ahemedabad.
Representative image. Reliance mart in Ahmedabad. Pic: Wikipedia/CGGCA201

About 30% of institutionally held retail assets are in 12 Tier-II and Tier-III Indian cities: Amritsar, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Udaipur, Mohali, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Ahmedabad, Surat, Indore, Nagpur and Bhubaneswar. Developers and institutional investors leverage lower land costs and aspirational consumers in smaller cities.

Premium and bridge-to-luxury brands are foraying into them, mainly due to higher consumer aspirations and new opportunities for stores.  

Source: Business Standard, Hindustan Times

Housing prices surge

Real estate consultancy Anarock explained that there is a huge rise in the residential real estate market. Even as property prices in the top seven cities have risen by 46% between the third quarter of 2021 and 2024, the last year saw an average price increase of 23%. The price rise has been fuelled by an increase in the prices of construction raw materials, as well as an overall rise in demand.

The frontrunner is Bengaluru’s Bagaluru, with 94% rise in residential prices between 2019 and 2024 so far. Hyderabad’s Kokapet follows with 89% appreciation in the last five years.

Source: Business Standard, Economic Times

[Compiled by Revathi Siva Kumar]

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