March 2026
In short: Andhra Pradesh science, environment & technology current affairs for March 2026.
Current Affairs — Andhra Pradesh › Science, Environment & Technology · 13 min read · Free to read · English & Telugu
Bilingual study notes for the Andhra Pradesh Police SI & Constable exams (SLPRB AP) by AP Police Hub, a product of Anvil Academy.
Andhra Pradesh's March 2026 science and technology digest — Nellore's AI-powered Intelligent Traffic Management System with ANPR and automated e-challans, a statewide Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccination drive for cattle and buffaloes (16 March – 29 April 2026) under NADCP, and AP sharing first rank with Karnataka in hypertension awareness.
March 2026 — At a Glance
March 2026's science and technology news from Andhra Pradesh was about AI in policing, animal health and preventive public health. Nellore is set to go live with an AI-powered Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) that detects violations and issues e-challans automatically. The Animal Husbandry Department is running a free, door-to-door Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccination drive for all cattle and buffaloes from 16 March to 29 April 2026 under the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP). And the Union Health Ministry ranked AP (with Karnataka) first for its hypertension awareness campaign.
1. Technology — AI-Powered Traffic Management System in Nellore
Automated enforcement with minimal human intervention
- What — Nellore is set to operationalise an Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) powered by Artificial Intelligence, to improve road safety, traffic discipline and automated law enforcement.
- Smart signals — New signals at key junctions such as the Nehru statue junction, calibrated for smooth flow, free left turns and signal coordination.
- AI violation detection — High-resolution cameras and AI algorithms detect, in real time: red-signal jumping, crossing stop lines, over-speeding (via radar sensors), helmetless riding, no seatbelt, triple riding, wrong-side driving and mobile-phone use while driving.
- ANPR — Automatic Number Plate Recognition reads registration numbers and links them to national databases such as VAHAN, identifying owners and enabling enforcement across jurisdictions.
- e-Challan — Violations are recorded with photographic evidence and e-challans are generated instantly, sent via SMS and email.
- Policing support — Tracks stolen or suspicious vehicles, triggers alerts when they pass monitored junctions, and uses computer vision to identify vehicles by make, model and colour.
- Concerns — Robust infrastructure and maintenance, data privacy and cybersecurity, public acceptance and integration with existing systems.
2. Animal Health — Statewide Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccination Drive
Free, door-to-door protection for cattle and buffaloes
- What — A statewide vaccination campaign against FMD for cattle and buffaloes starting 16 March 2026, under the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), continuing until 29 April 2026.
- Coverage — All cattle and buffaloes, including calves aged above four months; vaccines are free of cost; a door-to-door campaign by the Animal Husbandry Department.
- Doses — 83,69,700 vaccine doses have been supplied to districts.
Two phases of the drive| Phase | Duration |
|---|
| Phase I | March 16 – April 14 |
| Phase II (follow-up) | April 15 – April 29 — remaining animals and booster doses |
- The disease — A highly contagious viral disease caused by the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV), affecting cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and pigs; cross-bred cattle are more susceptible than indigenous breeds.
- Symptoms — High fever, blisters in the mouth and between the hooves, swelling of the udder, excessive salivation and difficulty in walking.
- Spread — Wounds, contaminated fodder, feed and water, contact with infected dung and urine, and calves drinking infected milk; severe cases can kill calves and cause abortions in pregnant animals.
- Economic impact — Sharp fall in milk production, reduced working capacity, calf mortality and loss of income for dairy farmers.
3. Public Health — AP First in Hypertension Awareness
- What — Andhra Pradesh, along with Karnataka, secured first rank in the country for best practices in hypertension awareness campaigns.
- Who ranked — The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, based on performance during World Hypertension Day-2025 awareness programmes.
- Campaign window — Programmes were conducted from May 17 to June 16, 2025, as per Union Health Ministry guidelines, and evaluated nationally for effectiveness.
- State's approach — Large-scale awareness, early detection and lifestyle change, spread through health workers and public outreach.
- World Hypertension Day — Observed every year on May 17 to promote early detection, prevention and control of high blood pressure.
- The condition — A chronic non-communicable disease (NCD) of persistently high blood pressure — often called a "silent killer"; causes include high salt intake, inactivity, stress and obesity; risks include heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.