The Andhra Pradesh State along the southeastern coast of India is one of the largest states in the country with 54 million citizens. The state government is heavily invested in developing policies and infrastructure to welcome businesses to Andhra Pradesh. The state also has embraced technology to provide performance metrics for multiple government agencies, and launched a real-time governance (RTG) center to improve life for its citizens.
Andhra Pradesh is using technology to protect its citizens in three distinct areas: public safety and welfare, data and analytics, and disaster relief and management. The government teamed with Hitachi Vantara to establish a framework to support RTG center using data from smart devices, surveillance cameras, image and video analytics, and department information.
The City Center of Activity
Hitachi Vantara led the design, development, and rollout of the RTG center, building a partner ecosystem to support the government’s needs. Within the RTG center is the Command Control Center (CCC), where dozens of operators monitor data and images from thousands of devices across the state, including more than 14,000 IP cameras integrated with an AI-powered Unified Video Computing Platform from Videonetics.
Operators also have access to an array of additional metrics and data, all of which can be shared on the CCC’s 85-foot video display wall. When emergencies arise, CCC operators can coordinate with officials in local districts to gather additional information or to issue emergency orders.
Key to the success of the RTG center is the Hitachi Visualization Suite (HVS), which unifies disparate data and presents it on a single screen. Operators can view and analyze information, create overlays to gain additional insights, and make decisions based on intelligent, comparative what-if scenarios. It allows the CCC to be the center of disaster management and relief operations across the state, while simultaneously working with local and district officials.
HVS enables operators to monitor weather events, for example, and gain real-time data about predicted wind speeds, rainfall, ground water, and flood levels. Operators also can zoom in on at-risk areas to determine what will be most impacted, identify shelter locations, and get contact information for local relief agencies. HVS can monitor the location of emergency vehicles to better aid recovery efforts. Data analytics help farmers improve crops and cities boost energy efficiency.
Data-driven Decisions Benefit Citizens
The technology in the RTG has improved public safety and human welfare. The data from surveillance cameras and artificial intelligence has reduced crime rates and helped police identify and track criminal suspects. In one instance, the RTG operators assisted in the rescue of 30 passengers stranded in a lake after their boat capsized. The team coordinated rescue vehicles, tracked ambulances, and identified doctors and hospitals to treat the injured.
Pleased with the RTG center’s success, the state government has created local command centers in all 13 districts in Andhra Pradesh. Each district’s center is integrated with the overarching RTG to enable more effective and efficient government assistance throughout the state.
Image Credit: Hitachi Vantara