HCM CITY – A smart traffic operation centre in HCM City will receive an investment of VNĐ6 trillion (US$265 million) from 2017 to 2020, the city’s Department of Transport has said.

In the first phase of the project, about VNĐ250 billion ($11 million) will be allocated to upgrade the existing traffic operation system.

The project’s investor, the management board of the Sài Gòn River Tunnel Management Centre, said that a new traffic control and operation centre would manage traffic in the city’s centre area.

The centre will control traffic by directing traffic lights, supervising traffic and providing information about traffic conditions.

Traffic lights will be connected through the system and cameras will be installed on 78 streets and at 300 traffic intersections.

The centre will be able to identify vehicle plate numbers and other information in images, and measure vehicle speed.

The department said the smart traffic operation centre would be an important step in reducing the number of traffic jams and accidents.

The system will provide the public with information about traffic conditions through electric boards, smartphone applications and radios.

With the new system, the need for on-site traffic operators will be reduced as they will only occasionally need to go directly to the scene.

The department said the smart transport system would be developed for the entire city by 2020.

In a related matter, the Department of Construction said that all infrastructure construction would temporarily stop on Liberation Day and International Labour Day, which fall on April 30 and May 1, respectively.

The department has told investors to speed up road digging for certain projects and to cover roads that have been completed.

Construction areas should also be cleaned to ensure safe conditions for drivers, it said. – VNS