The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) council office.
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is set to launch an AI-powered system to monitor and address municipal and infrastructure issues across the city.
The initiative, spanning three years, will employ smart devices installed on 250 vehicles to collect data on daily ground realities, officials said.
The project has been awarded to Nayan Science and Technology Ltd, a New Delhi-based firm, at a cost of Rs 1 crore per year under a three-year contract.
Sources indicate that the company was selected through a 4(G) exemption under the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act, though the Urban Development Department (UDD) has yet to formally notify the BBMP of this decision.
About five months ago, the BBMP piloted a project using AI-enabled cameras on its vehicles to assess the conditions of arterial and sub-arterial roads. The pilot was reportedly met with approval from Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, who reviewed the results during a recent high-level coordination meeting.
Officials said the project aims to help the BBMP in two ways. One, the AI cameras will assess road conditions and highlight issues requiring immediate action. Secondly, the technology will enable the analysis of footage from 6,000 CCTV cameras, installed by the traffic police, for additional monitoring.
While the BBMP floated tenders for similar work in September, senior officials are waiting for government consultation before making any final decisions. The Electronics City Township Authority (ELCITA), known for its well-maintained infrastructure, already uses comparable technology to monitor road conditions.
However, some citizen groups question the effectiveness of such initiatives.
“The BBMP's ability to understand ground realities is moot if it cannot address issues flagged by residents,” said Anil Kumar, a local. “I regularly report issues on the Sahaaya portal, but the response has been underwhelming. Recently, I reported the potential collapse of the Hebbal lake bund, yet no action has been taken.”