The traffic movement in Pune is speedier than that in Mumbai and Bengaluru when measured optimally.

Data by digital map maker Tom Tom has revealed that the optimal average speed (measured in km/hour) of vehicles in Pune is 25% better than Mumbai and 15% better than Bengaluru. It considered the optimal speed based on road conditions and real-time traffic data.

As per the data, the optimal speed in Pune is 30 km/ph - same as that in Delhi. This simply means that when the traffic is at its lowest, vehicles in Pune can cover 30km on an average in an hour. This compares with 24 km/ph in Mumbai, 26 km/ph in Bengaluru and 31 km/ph in Kolkata.

The map maker has mapped optimal speeds for only five Indian cities so far. Globally, it has mapped optimal speeds for 177 cities.

Surprisingly, optimal speeds in many developed cities are not leaps and bounds ahead of cities in India. For instance, the optimal speed in Kuala Lumpur is 28 kmph and in Singapore, it is the same as Pune - 30 km/ph.

"In India, mapping is a little difficult because in a single lane, many vehicles travel side by side, but the problem to solve are similar in most cities across the globe," Alain De Taeye, member of the management board of Tom Tom, said.

The company uses satellite probes, live sensors on roads and navigation devices, including cellphones, to collect data anonymously and predict traffic flow.

It is now trying to position its traffic management solution to local government bodies and channel partners to get more business. "We would like to get as much of the smart city pie as possible and this solution fits well into that initiative," Taeye said.

Source: Times of India, Pune dated 01/09/2017