Chennai Corporation to conduct AI survey on roads to remove encroachments, improve infrastructure

CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has plans to launch a massive project to reclaim the city roads by mapping 408 km of roads in Chennai using drones and GoPro cameras.

According to a report in The Times of India, the main aim of the initiative is to improve the infrastructure of the roads.

Officials said that this would be achieved by removing encroachments and reclaiming the original widths of the roads.

The survey for the same would be done by GCC in collaboration with a firm called RoadMetrics, that specializes in AI mapping.

The AI survey will be conducted using dashboard cameras with sensors to scan roads and map objects, which will then be compared to the original map. This will help the GCC to identify encroachments, damaged roads, pavements, street lights, and disconnected medians.

GCC Commissioner J Kumaragurubaran said that the firm has already carried out a similarly project in Bengaluru with great success.

"The project's first phase will cover main roads such as Anna Salai, EVR Periyar Salai, Kamarajar Salai and GST Road," he added.

The project is expected to cost Rs 25 lakhs and will be completed in two phases, with the first phase commencing in March to survey 408 km and the second phase scheduled for November.

Apart from the infrastructure improvement, experts note that the project would help in city development and planning.