The Traffic Control and Monitoring Center in HCMC will put into operation 762 cameras to monitor traffic and 136 cameras for measuring traffic density in the city, in an attempt to reduce traffic congestion and accidents, Thanh Nien online newspaper reported, citing Le Minh Triet, director of the Management Center of Saigon River Tunnel under the city's Department of Transport.

Monitoring staff watch traffic activities on multiple screens, whose data are collected from numerous monitoring cameras installed on streets in HCMC 

The monitoring center, located on a 200-square-meter site, will update and share data collected from the 762 monitoring cameras with the competent agencies. It boasts a bank of screens constantly displaying realtime traffic activities on streets across the city. With the screens, monitoring staff can see which areas are suffering traffic congestion and monitor traffic activity at crucial intersections.

The 136 cameras will also work out average traffic throughput. The monitoring team will be on duty 24/7 to promptly inform the competent agencies of traffic developments so as to quickly tackle traffic congestion or accidents as they occur.

Triet added that the installation of information technology equipment has been completed, such as adding a firewall system and a server computer and its backup unit, along with monitoring and controlling systems.

The center will be responsible for monitoring traffic activities on major roads and intersections in downtown HCMC by monitoring traffic lights, as well as supervising and providing traffic information to the competent agencies handling traffic violations.

Apart from this, the center will receive traffic information from GPS tracking devices on commercial vehicles, shared by the Vietnam National Administration.

As for local residents, the center will brief them on ongoing traffic issues in the city on the HCMC Traffic Information Portal and notice boards in public areas and will provide tools to search for less-crowded streets. Besides this, the traffic information released by the center will be displayed on 64 e-notice boards installed at key traffic points, or entrances to the city, as well as on the VOV and VOH audio channels.

The Traffic Control and Monitoring Center is among the specialized centers managed by the smart city management center. The first phase of the traffic monitoring center is slated for operation prior to the Tet holiday, stated Triet.

SGT