Road, Traffic Signal and Infrastructure Research in Bengaluru
Infra Kaizen studies Bengaluru's roads the way a factory studies its production line: go to the spot, measure, find the root cause, and propose a fix that can be checked. Our research is done by citizens, led by engineers, and shared openly.
Our studies so far
Traffic signal phase-order survey
We surveyed 70 signals in Bengaluru. More than 30% change in anticlockwise order, which blocks the free left turn in a keep-left country.
Read the findings →IRC compliance study of city roads
We compared 30 Bengaluru roads, including the new SM Krishna Road, with Indian Roads Congress guidelines. Not even 10% of the conditions are met.
Read the findings →Policy proposal: minimum IRC compliance
Every public road design should meet at least 80% of the applicable IRC guidelines before it is finalised, with an independent audit after construction.
Read the proposal →Research areas
- Traffic signal engineering: phase order, cycle time, free-left provision and signal coordination along corridors.
- Road design and IRC compliance: lane width, markings, signs, footpaths, junction geometry and drainage, checked against IRC codes such as IRC:86, IRC:35, IRC:67, IRC:93, IRC:103 and IRC:SP:41.
- Junction studies: conflict points, turning movements and low-cost redesign options.
- Road safety: pedestrian crossings, speed management and accident-prone spots.
- Governance and standards: how roads are designed, approved and audited, and what rules are missing.
How we do the research
We follow the Toyota PDCA cycle and the Toyota Business Practice method, which our founders used for years in manufacturing:
- Observe on site. Volunteers visit the junction or road at peak and off-peak hours and record what actually happens.
- Measure against a standard. We compare what we see with the IRC guidelines and with good engineering practice.
- Find the root cause. We ask "why" step by step until we reach a cause that can be fixed, usually in design, standards or checking.
- Propose a small, testable fix. Each finding ends with a practical solution and a way to check whether it worked.
- Share and follow up. Findings go to the traffic police, GBA and the public, and we track what changes.
Work with us on research
We welcome engineering colleges, urban planners, traffic engineers, students and CSR partners who want to support field studies in Bengaluru. Write to director@infrakaizen.org or see CSR partnership.