Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) has introduced pothole patching machines based on cold mix technology and installed artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled cameras on garbage collection vehicles to detect potholes and other civic issues across Jammu city, JMC Commissioner Dr Devansh Yadav announced on Thursday.
Dr Yadav told ANI that the civic body regularly receives complaints about potholes, which sometimes lead to accidents. He said the new machines will allow companies to address these issues more quickly.
To prioritize repair needs, JMC has installed AI-powered cameras on 10 garbage trucks operating in the city. These cameras automatically identify potholes while performing daily operations and collect data for further action by the company.
According to Dr. Yadav, the AI system can recognize around 22 categories of civic issues, such as roadside garbage, construction activities, downed power poles, streetlights turned on during the day, and sidewalk repair requirements.
Information from the cameras is sent to the JMC control and command center and recorded in the system. Dr. Yadav explained that companies allocate teams to relevant locations based on data.
“The aim is to automate processes, minimize human intervention and leverage technology to provide better services and amenities to our citizens,” he said. The company’s IT team will lead efforts to effectively use information generated by AI.
About the pothole patching machine, Dr Yadav said it uses cold mix technology and is designed for roads where potholes cause inconvenience to commuters. It has been made clear that it is not suitable for roads that require large-scale renovations.
He added that it takes about five to 10 minutes to fill one pothole, but repairs that address multiple potholes at one site can be completed within about two hours.
Dr Yadav also noted that the JMC has deployed seven mechanical road sweeping vehicles for night dust removal operations and has upgraded wastewater sedimentation removal machinery as per approvals.
