Hyderabad: In a major effort to improve road maintenance and avoid financial misappropriation, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) will soon chronicle the minute history of its roads network via high-tech oblique camera technology.
According to a TNIE report, the decision comes in the wake of the urgent need for accurate data on more than 9,013 kilometres of roads within the twin cities that consist of both cement concrete (CC) and bitumen (BT) roads.
Database of roads in Hyderabad
The GHMC will allocate a separate ID number to roads across Hyderabad and establish an online registry that records all operations of road laying and recarpeting. Using a road’s ID number, the citizens and authorities will be able to retrieve vital information such as:
- Nature of the road (CC or BT)
- Original layer thickness
- Original construction price
- Number of repairs and total cost over time
The action is in support of state government orders to arrest wasteful recarpeting and utilise public money to its full efficiency. While wasting hundreds of crores on every year’s maintenance, the GHMC wants transparency and accountability brought to its business.
The implementation of this technology is also driven by continued frustration on the part of GHMC officials with contractor performance.
Chronic complaints about delays in payment and substandard quality have resulted in vigilance probes that have exposed numerous defects in contractors’ work. Through the use of oblique cameras, the greater Hyderabad body seeks to eliminate these problems and provide for efficient spending of funds for road development.
Understanding oblique camera technology
Oblique cameras have an immense benefit when compared with conventional imaging techniques. While regular satellite images show only what lies directly above the surface, oblique cameras photograph at angles—usually 45 degrees—showing underlying layers of the road. Using this new technology, engineers can evaluate:
- The number of layers added over time
- The initial depth of the road
- Evident damages like cracks and potholes
By giving a panoramic overview of vertical and horizontal angles, oblique cameras are able to detect structural flaws and areas of concern prior to their becoming expensive repairs.
Similar international technologies
Hyderabad’s program is one example of a worldwide trend among cities using advanced imaging technologies for managing roads and other infrastructure. Other examples include:
- Singapore, where real-time monitoring of road conditions is undertaken using smart sensors and imaging technology.
- London, utilises aerial imagery and data analytics to sustain its vast transportation network effectively.
- Los Angeles, where drones are used for determining street conditions and scheduling maintenance works.
These worldwide initiatives highlight the need to adopt innovative solutions for enhancing urban infrastructure management while upholding public accountability.
The use by GHMC of oblique camera technology is a major leap ahead in terms of streamlining road management processes in Hyderabad. By developing an open and accessible database of road history, the corporation hopes to prevent not just financial mismanagement, but also to ensure that citizens enjoy upgraded roads.
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