AI flags 1,000 garbage spots in Bengaluru South, officials told to act in 10 days

The Bengaluru South City Corporation has set a 10-day deadline for marshals and junior health inspectors to clear around 1,000 garbage-related issues identified by Artificial Intelligence-based technology during a pilot survey covering 150 km of roads.

South Corporation Commissioner K.N. Ramesh issued the directive at a workshop organised at the corporation office to familiarise marshals and Junior Health Inspectors with the system.

The pilot project, implemented in collaboration with a private company, surveyed 150 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads out of the corporation’s total 311 km road network last month using a vehicle fitted with an AI camera.

The technology generated 2,000 tickets identifying civic issues, including garbage blackspots, potholes, footpath encroachments, construction waste and unauthorised optical fibre cables. Of these, around 1,000 tickets pertained to garbage and blackspots, the corporation said.

The issues are assigned to the personnel concerned through the ‘Anveshak’ mobile application. Officials have been directed to visit the locations and upload geo-tagged photographs taken within 50 metres of the identified spots to close the tickets.

Mr. Ramesh said the technology would help the corporation document its work transparently and identify civic issues proactively, even before citizens lodge complaints.

The corporation said the AI-powered survey will be repeated every 30 days to verify the resolution of existing issues and identify new ones. The corporation is yet to take a decision on expanding the system.