logo
AI-driven innovations to soon streamline traffic management system in Vizag

AI-driven innovations to soon streamline traffic management system in Vizag

The Hindu05-07-2025
VISAKHAPATNAM
The city may soon see a major transformation of its traffic management system with Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven innovations aimed at easing congestion and improving road safety.
The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has initiated steps to implement AI-powered traffic management solutions. Several IT firms including Metafusion (Noida), NEC, Data Corp (Bengaluru), CMS Computers (Mumbai), and Brihaspati Technologies (Hyderabad) have already conducted pilot projects in the city.
The firms presented proposals to MP M. Sribharat, District Collector M. Harendhira Prasad, City Police Commissioner Shankhabratha Bagchi, and GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg during a meeting held on July 4.
Speaking about the initiative, GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg emphasised the need for advanced systems to effectively regulate growing traffic demands. 'AI-based traffic management systems are essential to streamline traffic flow and enhance enforcement,' he said.
The proposed system will automatically detect and penalise traffic violations such as over-speeding, riding without helmets, jumping red lights, illegal parking, and wrong-side driving. Violators will be issued challans in real time through automated monitoring, he said.
'Facial recognition technology is also expected to be introduced. This will enable law enforcement to identify individuals with criminal records or suspicious behaviour and alert relevant police stations through the Command and Control Centre,' he added.
Another major component of the plan is the synchronisation of traffic signals at key junctions. The upgraded signal system will adapt dynamically to traffic volumes, reducing wait times and minimising congestion during peak hours.
With rapid development across the city, Visakhapatnam has seen a sharp increase in vehicular population. According to traffic police records, the city now has over 15 lakh vehicles, nearly 75% of which are two-wheelers and that number continues to grow by around 40,000 vehicles annually.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

AI plush toys promise screen-free play for kids— but at what cost?
AI plush toys promise screen-free play for kids— but at what cost?

Mint

time14 hours ago

  • Mint

AI plush toys promise screen-free play for kids— but at what cost?

The company Curio, located in Redwood city, California is bringing a new kind of toy to market: chatbots wrapped in stuffed animals. Its founders, Misha Sallee and Sam Eaton, have created plushies — Grem, Grok and Gaboo, with each one of them having a Wi-Fi enabled voice box hidden inside. This voice box connects the toy to an Artificial Intelligence (AI) language model designed to talk to young children. These toys, which are priced at $99 each are joining a growing number of other AI-enabled objects marketed to kids. This trend is set to expand, as OpenAI has partnered with Mattel to develop AI-powered products based on popular brands like Barbie and Ken, said Amanda Hess from the New York Times. Curio promotes its products as an alternative to screen time, appealing to parents who are busy and want to keep their kids off tablets and phone screens. The company's co-founder, Eaton described the plushies as a 'sidekick' who could make children's play 'more stimulating,' freeing up parents from having to sit their children in front of a TV. However Hess questioned this premise. While children already talk to their toys, the AI plushies add a layer of complexity. During a demonstration, Hess notes a bizarre conversation with one of the toys named Grem, which suggested a game of 'I Spy,' despite not being able to see. She also points out the irony of these toys being an alternative to screens when they operate on a similar technological foundation. The idea of a mechanical friend is already familiar to children, because as they watch television, they are served stories about artificially intelligent sidekicks and their wondrous deeds. TV shows like "Adventure Time' and "Sesame Street,' feature characters like BMO and Smartie who are personified technological devices that help the main characters. Hess also cited the character Toodles from 'Mickey Mouse Clubhouse' as a prime example. As compared to older Disney cartoons where physical objects posed vexing challenges for Mickey and friends, Toodles in a sentient tablet that instantly solves every challenge with 'Mouseketools.' This trend teaches children that the answer to every human problem is a voice-activated command away and the ultimate endpoint for their curiosity is inside a device, she argued. By bringing these characters into children's physical spaces, in the form of cuddly toys, the terrifying specter of 'the screen' has been obscured. Yet playtime is still tethered to a technological leash, as the toy's conversations with a child are back-channeled to a large language model, she said. Other than the psychological aspects of using an AI-powered toy, these products also raise concerns about privacy and parental control. Curio, for instance, ensures that every conversation with its chatbots is transcribed and sent to the guardian's phone. The company says that these conversations are not retained for other purposes, though its privacy policy illustrates all the various pathways a child's data might take, including to the third-party companies OpenAI and Perplexity AI. The author also questions what happens when a child 's transitional object, such as a security stuffed animal or blanket is no longer a safe space for private thoughts, but a source of surveillance and a tool of parental influence. Hess concludes her exploration by removing the voice box from the plushie, transforming it back into a simple stuffed animal. When her children find it, they invest their own imaginative games, confirming her theory that the most magical toys are the ones that don't need a voice box at all.

MBZUAI begins new academic year with largest-ever cohort of over 400 students
MBZUAI begins new academic year with largest-ever cohort of over 400 students

News18

time20 hours ago

  • News18

MBZUAI begins new academic year with largest-ever cohort of over 400 students

Abu Dhabi [UAE], August 17 (ANI/WAM): Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has welcomed its largest cohort for its Fall 2025 intake, enrolling 403 new students. This includes its inaugural undergraduate class, new graduate cohorts in existing programmes in Computer Science, Computer Vision, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, and Robotics, and the first intakes into the Master of Science in Statistics & Data Science and Master in Applied Artificial Intelligence. This semester received more than 8,000 applications across the university's Bachelor and graduate programmes, yielding an acceptance rate of 5 per cent, and reinforcing the university's prestigious position and ability to attract the best talent in the UAE and from around the world. Timothy Baldwin, MBZUAI Provost and Professor of Natural Language Processing, said, 'This year, MBZUAI welcomes our largest cohort of graduate students alongside our inaugural undergraduate class. Artificial intelligence is transforming the world at a pace that vastly outstrips traditional education models. To realise its full global potential, MBZUAI invests heavily in reviewing and updating our programmes to reflect modern AI research methodology and workflows, based on our bleeding-edge AI research credentials and grounded in societal and industrial needs. As a young institution, MBZUAI has already earned a place among the world's top 10 AI universities based on our research credentials. With the introduction of our undergraduate and Master's in Applied AI programmes, we continue to build world-leading programmes aligned with the UAE's National Strategy for AI 2031 and supporting Abu Dhabi's rapidly growing AI ecosystem."The newly launched Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence programme offers two streams, AI for Business and AI for Engineering, combining technical rigor with leadership, hands-on entrepreneurship, and in-situ industry experience. The first class consists of 115 undergraduate students from more than 25 countries, over 25 per cent of whom are UAE Baldwin said, 'The jobs of tomorrow are being shaped by AI today, and we must ensure that future generations are equipped with the tools and skills to navigate that shift. Our extraordinarily talented students don't just learn about AI, but learn with it, through it, and for it. This is an extraordinary value proposition across all our programmes, but especially for our undergraduate students, who will be studying towards a bachelor's degree in AI that I believe sets a new global benchmark in terms of technical depth, real-world relevance, and the high-end AI job-readiness of the students."The key highlights for the Fall 2025 intake include MBZUAI's total student body totalling more than 700, representing over 47 represented in the undergraduate programmes are Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, the UAE and the UK. Postgraduate programmes bring together students from Canada, China, Egypt, France, India, Italy, Kazakhstan, Serbia, UAE, UK, USA and continues to attract exceptional students, with 151 of the incoming graduate students (27.5 per cent) holding degrees from the world's top 100 computer science universities (CSRankings), including Cornell University, Tsinghua University, the University of Edinburgh, and the University of California, San welcoming the new students, MBZUAI has begun its immersive Orientation Week, introducing new students to the university's culture of academic excellence, AI-driven innovation, and community engagement. The programme combines academic sessions, mentorship activities, and cultural programming celebrating UAE heritage and life in Abu include the Orientation Mini Fair, where internal and external partners showcase resources for academic success, career development, and student life. Orientation Week is designed to foster a strong sense of belonging and connection, laying the foundation for academic success and life-changing university experiences. (ANI/WAM)

Anna Canteens a lifeline for Vizag low-income workers
Anna Canteens a lifeline for Vizag low-income workers

Time of India

time2 days ago

  • Time of India

Anna Canteens a lifeline for Vizag low-income workers

Visakhapatnam: Anna Canteens in Visakhapatnam have emerged as a major success since their relaunch in Sep last year. As of July 2025, nearly 65 lakh meals have been served across the 25 canteens in the city, where meals are offered at a nominal price of Rs 5. About 24,950 people dine at these canteens daily. Located near high-traffic areas and hospitals, the canteens have become a key support system for daily wage workers, low-income employees, and unemployed youth preparing for competitive exams in the city. They are also a boon for the floating population, especially those visiting Vizag for medical or other short-term purposes, who would otherwise spend about Rs 100 per meal even at modest restaurants. Launched by the previous TDP govt in 2018 as part of a state-wide welf are effort, the scheme was discontinued in 2019 by the YSRCP govt after it came to power in the state. As promised in its 2024 election manifesto, the TDP-led NDA govt revived the scheme soon after returning to power. In Visakhapatnam, 25 canteens reopened under the program, with Rs 3.3 crore allocated for their renovation. Before their initial rollout in 2018, the govt had sent a delegation of civic officials to study the operations of Amma Canteens in Chennai and Annapurna Canteens in Hyderabad. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Seniors are going crazy for these comfy, stylish, easy-on shoes Ultra-Comfortable Shoes Undo The visit helped shape the guidelines and operational framework for Andhra Pradesh's own version of subsidised canteens. GVMC mayor P Srinivasa Rao said about 65 lakh meals have been served through these canteens in just nine months. "People have expressed satisfaction with the quality of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. GVMC officials, along with the commissioner, are regularly monitoring operations and collecting public feedback to ensure efficient service," said the mayor. Local vendor Dukka Suribabu, who sells fruits near MVP Rythu Bazaar, said he often eats at the nearby Anna Canteen. "Offering a meal at just Rs 5 is a huge help for people like us who can't afford restaurant prices. Even roadside eateries in MVP Colony charge no less than Rs 60 for a basic meal," said Suribabu. An electronic token system is in place to manage meal distribution. Beneficiaries must present Aadhaar credentials for token issuance. In the absence of Aadhaar card, fingerprints or facial recognition data are collected for future records. Each canteen spans approximately 750 square feet and is designed to serve food to at least 350 people at a time. The canteens serve three idlis, chutney, and sambar as breakfast from 7:30 am to 10 am three days a week, and puri or pongal with kurma on the remaining days. Lunch is served from 12 pm to 3 pm, and dinner from 7:30 pm to 9 pm, which include rice, curry, dal, sambar, curd, and chutney. Special rice is served once a week. The canteens remain closed on Sundays. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy Krishna Janmashtami Wishes ,, messages , and quotes !

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store