The operation will stop in several parts of Hyderabad. | PHOTO CREDIT: NAGARA GOPAL
Inside the Hyderabad traffic room, the wall of the vehicle screen shows the vehicle screens along the main corridor. On the mobile phone, however, Google maps portray another image – the same section marked with a dark red signal of heavy overload that does not correspond to the live source in the control room.
Such a mismatch between what is on Earth and what navigation applications indicate has become common, especially during the rainy season. For commuting, they can mean the difference between a fast way and an unnecessary detour. They create confusion for transport managers, evoke complaints and sometimes lead to inaccurate perception of road conditions.
According to a police officer, there are differences from the way Google maps collect and process data. Instead of relying directly on the channels of urban monitoring or counting vehicles, the platform relies on location data from mobile phones from mobile phones. If the cluster of users in the same area is stationary or slowly moves, whether due to traffic signal, weather or even a break for tea, the system can interpret it as a traffic jam and reflect it in its color maps.
Google Maps says it integrates real -time traffic information, including accidents and road closures, from various sources, and analyzes historical traffic data to estimate the current conditions and predict close -up speeds. Technology Expert Rajeev Krishna explained that the platform measures the average speed in small sections of about 50-100 meters and then modifies the data using historical data on the same day and time. “If vehicles are waiting for red light for five minutes at zero speed, then they move at 10 km / h for one minute, Google average becomes about 1.6 km / h. It’s never really live,” he said, adding that the police manually change signal timing.
“Google could indicate dark red, but our cameras show moving traffic,” said Hyderabad Control Control Room, adding that police decisions are led primarily by the live CCTV and intelligence on the ground than applications based on applications.
Mr. Krishna believes that a formal data sharing framework between government and Google could increase traffic forecasts and allow better response to emergencies.
The idea of narrower integration has been discussed for some time. In February 2025, Hyderabad Police and Google examined real -time data interconnection options with automated signal controls based on the number of vehicles and using cloud AI to store and quickly load CCTV shots for analysis.
Own traffic knowledge for Hyderabad
Two cooperation projects are already in the pipeline – a green signal (suggesting an enhancement of the timing of the signal) and the knowledge of road management (RMI). The Commissioner (Operation) D. Joel Davis said that the goal is to customize extensive Google data for local needs. “The model gives us insight into road and transport formulas, such as which corridors are busy at a given time, traveling on specific routes, types of overload and historical trends,” he said. While Google maps have a huge amount of raw data, Mr. Davis noted that he was not directly applicable to the right to enforce the right. Within partnership, the information is adapted to suit Hyderabad conditions, which helps identify the most congested corridors and plan interventions.
This knowledge will only be available to the police and not to the public. The department must still take the final decision on implementation, with financial discussions waiting. For the time being, Google maps remain a tool that is more suitable for the management of motorists than managing a comprehensive and unpredictable traffic flow of the city.
Published – 9. August 2025 20:04
