In a first, drones to help ease traffic woes in capital city

For the first time in the history of the capital, the Delhi government has decided to use Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones to prepare a feasibility report to decongest roads.

The decision was taken by the Public Works Department (PWD) this week in a bid to make the 24-km Wazirabad to Kalindi Kunj stretch signal-free.

A PWD officer said that drones were more cost-effective and took less than half the time taken by humans to conduct the feasibility study. “So far, the agency was using Google maps to carry out studies. They (drones) will give real-time figures on traffic intensity, volume and congestion on the stretch we are studying,” said the officer.

The first part of the project — wherein the PWD constructed six flyovers between Vikaspuri and Wazirabad — has almost been completed and the second phase is yet to start — Wazirabad to Kalindi Kunj. The total stretch is 44-km and the roads will be signal-free.