Exclusive interview: ‘Our focus is on regulating traffic,’ says Bengaluru traffic commissioner

M. A. Saleem, Special Commissioner of Police, Traffic, explains how ITMS and synchronised traffic signals work, and about IPC section 283.

Bengaluru’s infamous traffic jams have been the subject of much discussion for over a decade. With the roads burdened with vehicles beyond its capacity, traffic congestion has increased as the city itself has expanded. Last year, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said his government’s priority is to ease traffic.

To ensure better traffic management, M A Saleem, IPS, was brought back to head the Bengaluru Traffic Police as Special Commissioner of Police, Traffic, in November 2022. He is a 1993-batch IPS officer who has a PhD in traffic management.

In his previous stints with the Bengaluru Traffic Department, M A Saleem introduced several initiatives such as Safe Routes to School and adopting technology under BTRAC (Bengaluru Traffic Improvement Project). In his previous role, he introduced around 128 one way roads in the city, which earned him the name ‘One-Way Saleem’.


Read more: How to make Bengaluru traffic jams go away


The Bangalore Traffic Police is devising ways to manage the city’s mammoth traffic, from working in co-ordination with other civic bodies, such as the BBMP and BDA, to exploring technology-related systems, such as ITMS (Intelligent Traffic Management System), synchronised signals, and installation of Artificial Intelligence at signals.

Vehicles plying on a road
Representative image. CM Basavaraj Bommai said his government’s priority is to improve traffic. Pic: Sherin Sunny

In conversation with Citizen Matters

In an exclusive interview with Citizen Matters, M A Saleem spoke about the use of technology in controlling traffic. He explained how ITMS is used for transparent booking of violations and how synchronised traffic signals work. He also spoke about the need for the enforcement of IPC section 283 to avoid footpath parking and ensure pedestrian safety.

Watch the full interview and know more on how Bengaluru Traffic is being regulated.

Also read:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Similar Story

Sion overbridge: Work in progress or a project stalled?

The delay in reconstructing one of Mumbai's iconic bridges is inconveniencing commuters. Residents hope the project will be completed soon.

On August 1, 2024, the Sion overbridge was closed for a two-year reconstruction project, disrupting traffic and daily commutes. The plan is to rebuild the century-old bridge — originally constructed across the railway tracks in 1912 — through a collaboration between the Central Railway and the BMC. However, to the dismay of citizens, the bridge has yet to be demolished. What are the reasons for this delay? Inconvenience to commuters The bridge connecting Sion East to Sion West serves as a vital link between Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Marg, Dharavi, the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), and the Eastern Express Highway.…

Similar Story

BEST no longer: How contract buses are hampering services in Mumbai

Wet-leased buses, far outnumbering BEST’s own fleet now, are bogged down by multiple problems as contractors try to cut costs.

In Part 1 of this series, we discussed how BEST’s wet-leased buses — owned and operated by private contractors — are rapidly replacing its own fleet. In Part 2, we explore how this model is impacting the quality of bus services.Last December, nine people were killed and another 37 injured in an accident involving a wet-leased electric bus in Kurla. According to the police, the driver had not been adequately trained before being moved to an automatic electric bus from manual, geared buses. Under the wet-leasing model, introduced to cut BEST’s costs, a contractor owns and operates the bus, and…