ETC will bring uniformity of payment across all toll plazas and increase efficiency of toll collection

Sandeep Pawar, Managing Director, Mumbai based Kent ITS talks to TraficInfraTech about toll automation, ETC and the company’s ETC solutions.

What are the unique features of Toll Explore – the toll automation solution from Kent ITS? What technology does the system use?

Toll Explore is very flexible because most of the components of the system is designed and manufactured in-house. This gives us a cutting edge in the implementation of the Toll Explore toll collection system for most complex user requirements; whether it is a closed system like Ahmadabad-Vadodara expressway or dedicated ETC lanes like at Bandra Worli Sea Link Project.

Also, at Kent-ITS, we had understood the importance and significance of sub-components in the Toll Collection System long back. Because of this, we design and manufacture our own Lane Controllers, AVC systems, Overhead Signals, Traffic lights, User Fare displays, Smart Card Readers and importantly the Software Application. This gives a full control on the quality and support for the equipment in our ITS solution. All our equipment are manufactured as per the ISO 9001:2008 standards and all major equipment is “CE” certified. In addition, we select the best brands for the off-the-shelf equipment. With the combination of best equipment and proper understanding of the system requirements, Toll Explore stands apart from others in terms of quality, flexibility and maintainability.

You offer an audit module with Toll Explore?

Yes, the audit is an integral part of Toll Explore. Toll Explore system is designed to detect 100% of the vehicles passing from the plaza. All vehicles pass the Independent Automatic Vehicle Classification area and hence we compare the toll collector’s record discretely with the system independently, that is without the toll collector knowing about it. The discrepancies, if any are brought to the notice of the auditors who are working in the Toll Control room. Along with the vehicle class discrepancy the system also marks all the exempt transactions. The discrepancies along with the exempt transactions for any particular shift have to be completely audited by the auditor without which the system does not produce any financial report for that particular shift.

According to the system design, if the system can produce numbers or statistics to track discrepancy and exemption better the revenue generation is better.

How does Kent’s Toll ERP help toll plazas and road concessionaires?

We honestly can claim to have developed and delivered the first Toll ERP for the Indian market. For any major infrastructure company which is running a number of toll plazas across the country, it becomes mission critical to handle human resources, inventory, accounts and audit in the most efficient and effective way. The KENT-ITS web ERP handles all the mission critical tasks seamlessly. With a strong and robust Central Database design and a strong nodal application, handling even 40 or 50 toll plazas across the country becomes very easy. Most importantly the processes are systems driven and not human resource dependent.

Kent’s role in ETC implimentation in India…

Toll Explore is designed according to the ETC implementation report published by the committee headed by Nandan Nilekani. It is a true non-stop Toll Collection system; and we have implemented Queuing Mechanism successfully for the first time which is required for the non-stop ETC processing in India. We are amongst the first few successful ETC integrators in India to have delivered most complex and unique ETC projects in India. To name few of our ETC projects with the non-stop ETC processing are are:

a. Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link which is the first successful Dedicated ETC project in India catering for about 6500-8000 transaction daily with two lanes.

b. Ahmedabad-Vadodara Expressway which was complex due to its closed road tolling nature wherein the user is charged based upon the distance travelled on the road and

c. Mumbai Pune Expressway; which is the first All Lanes ETC project.

Do you have a tie-up with ICICI?

ICICI has been appointed as the Central Clearing House for pan India ETC implementation. We have a tie up with ICICI. In fact our most critical projects like Ahmadabad-Vadodara expressway and Mumbai-Pune Expressway are integrated with the ICICI Central Clearing House.

Besides toll automation, what other services do you offer for the transportation sector?

Apart from Toll Automation, we have developed products like Variable Message Signs and Emergency Telephone Communication Systems which are used in Highway Traffic Management Systems. Currently, our efforts are targeted towards the development of indigenous sensors for AVC systems.