‘Longer waits, manual overrides’: Ex-top cop sparks debate on Bengaluru's new AI traffic signals

Former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao criticized the new AI-powered traffic signals, claiming they increase wait times and require manual overrides.

Updated on: Jun 19, 2025, 16:33:37 IST

By Yamini C S

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BJP leader and former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao on Wednesday condemned the use of artificial intelligence-powered traffic signals in the city, terming them “counter productive”.

Police officer turned politician Bhaskar Rao shared a video of an auto driver online, who said the old traffic signal system was more efficient than the new AI-powered ones. (X)

He took to social media site X and posted that the new AI-powered traffic signals in Bengaluru are causing longer waits and making commutes worse. Manual overrides are also becoming a common occurrence, he said. Rao, who first joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and switched to the BJP later, added that the "smart" electric meters in auto rickshaws are no better.

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“The New signals with AI in Bengaluru seems to be counter productive. Longer waiting time..!! Manual intervention is going on. Journey time is taking longer. Similar is the experience with Smart Electrical Meters, again manual intervention. Who in the Government is doing this,” he wrote.

“Exciting Intervention with IT…Brilliant IT Minister should also address constant “Server Down” in Revenue and Sub Registrar offices.. @PriyankKharge can leave Trump and Modi to run the world, he could address t the Citizens Issues,” he added, tagging BESCOM, the power supply body of Bengaluru, as well as the city's Joint Commissioner of Police for traffic.

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He also shared a video of an auto rickshaw driver who echoed the sentiments and said the old signals were better for daily commutes. The post quickly garnered attention online, and accumulated over 13,000 views at the time this article is being written.

It also triggered a discussion on Bengaluru's never-ending traffic woes, with a social media user writing, “Japanese have probably designed the algorithms considering lane discipline and roads of Japan . Tech is not translating to the chaos of our city.”

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“VAC signals are a farce, they have set a fixed timing for pedestrians and it defeats the very purpose of vehicle authentication, some signals turn red after 15 seconds even though a long pile up is there,” another posted.

"The Japanese "Moderato" AI traffic signals were just a huge waste of money! Instead of that, govt must've just speeded up metro construction," a user said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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