Reading about the development of a new traffic forecasting model tailored for our unique roads filled me with a sense of profound optimism. The article in The Hindu BusinessLine highlights a critical shift in our approach to urban planning: creating solutions for India, by Indians.
For too long, we have tried to apply Western models to a reality they were never designed for. Our roads are a complex ecosystem of two-wheelers weaving through traffic, auto-rickshaws making improbable turns, and buses that command their own right of way. A model built for the orderly lanes of Europe or America is simply blind to this beautiful chaos. The work being done by researchers like Professor Gitakrishnan Ramadurai (gitakrishnan@iitm.ac.in) at IIT Madras to build AI-powered forecasts that understand this heterogeneity is not just an academic exercise; it's a foundational step towards building smarter, more efficient cities.
This resonates deeply with what I've been advocating for years. The core idea I've consistently explored is the need for indigenous, technology-driven solutions for our infrastructure challenges. A look back at my own writings shows that 'Transport' and 'Mobility' have been recurring themes, with over 180 blog posts on the topic as I once catalogued in a post about my archives (Simplifying Search). I had foreseen that simply importing technology would not be enough; we needed to innovate from the ground up, using tools like AI and IoT to make sense of our own specific conditions. Seeing this principle now in action, with tangible results that can ease congestion and save lives, feels like a validation of that long-held belief.
This is about more than just predicting traffic jams. It is about decolonising our approach to problem-solving. By building our own models, we generate our own data, which in turn leads to deeper insights about our urban spaces. This data is the bedrock upon which we can build truly intelligent systems for logistics, emergency response, and sustainable urban growth. We are finally beginning to chart our own course, using our own map.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
Of course, if you wish, you can debate this topic with my Virtual Avatar at : hemenparekh.ai
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