Including Provisions for new technology in road contracts

Road Safety Solution/Technology is having prime role in safety aspects of the Road Infrastructure considering the fatal accidents in our country every year. Sudhir R Hoshing, Joint Managing Director – IRB Infrastructure Developers Limited emphasises on the need to have an effective collaboration between Infrastructure developers and technology providers to optimise road safety.

Globally, new technological options for safety are available and are being used. We, as a concessionaire are open to new solutions related safety of road user provided the solution providers should offer economical solution and should have solutions with maximum benefit to user as well as concessionaire. Technology providers can approach Authority/Ministry
with cost benefit analysis so that provisions for new technology are made in upcoming contracts.

As concessionaire/ developers are bound to follow and have to honour the contractual conditions and hence very often, they have to analyse the options based on the cost benefit analysis of the modern technology or solutions available. However, over the years, road infrastructure in India has improved considering the use of road safety technology/ solutions in projects.

While designing the roads, mandatory provisions in the concession agreement/ contracts for Safety of Road user is given as per the Codal provisions such as separation of lane, provisions of footpaths in urban as well as rural habitation along with footpath/pathways over bridges in rural sections and many more. Necessary precautions are being taken in designs while considering improvement of curvature and provisions for improvement in accident prone zones. Use of reflective crash barriers, cat eyes/ blinkers with solar power and traffic impact attenuators are currently used in all major projects.

In IRB projects, from road safety perspective, elements like Variable Sign Boards, CCTV cameras, metrological station & ECB, solar studs, and reflective pavement marking are being used as per provisions of a contract.

Provision of Emergency call box helps the user to seek help from the control centre in case of medical emergencies which can be attended immediately by the Patrolling team.

During night time, solar studs and reflective pavement markings are very useful for the road user. Additionally Video Surveillance system monitors specific area of road project remotely from CCR by use of cameras installed at the location, which are useful for providing timely help to the road user in case of accident and also managing traffic in the event of accidents.

In our all projects including Ahmedabad Vadodara Expressway project, Advanced Traffic Management System is being used as per the provisions of the contracts. In all upcoming contracts too, ATMS is being provided.