BANGALORE: We are used to traffic updates from FM radio stations, as welcome interruptions in the chatter between songs. Often, by the time the RJ's prattle is over, the gridlock would have cleared or another formed around you unbeknownst to said RJ.

And now the mobile service provider Airtel has jumped on to the traffic update bandwagon. It has launched a pilot project called the Bangalore Transport Information System (BTIS).

The BTIS will record traffic densities in real-time and map the locations of public transport vehicles continuously. Thereafter, this information is located geo-spatially on a map of the urban area and disseminated to road-users to facilitate easier travel.

The BTIS project has the State Government as Airtel's partner. Implemented jointly with the Bangalore City Traffic Police and Mapunity Information Services, it is designed to provide easy, convenient and real-time traffic updates to commuters.

BTIS uses Airtel's mobile network to cover all roads across Bangalore to give the updates. To access the information, an Airtel mobile customer should type in the following information and send an SMS to 54321.

To get the area / junction code, SMS "BTIS CODE name of area / junction," to know the route from area 1 to area 2, SMS "BTIS area code 1 area code 2," to know the traffic condition and route from area 1 to area 2, SMS "BTIS area 1 area 2." To get information about traffic at a particular junction, SMS "BTIS POINT junction code." And to know the traffic condition around a particular area, simply SMS "BTIS area code."

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail