TRAFFICINFRATECH EXPO 2011 On the road to success

On February 2, 2011 when the nation’s capital woke up to a chilly morning, not many realised the excitement NSIC Exhibition Complex at Okhla would generate two or three hours later. For, very soon the who’s who of the transport industry, related with road safety, traffic & transport solutions and traffic management in some way or the other, began making headway to the venue with curiosity in mind. After all, they were all going to witness India’s first integrated traffic show.

The next three days were witness to a flurry of activity at the Show something that the organisers, Virtual Info Systems (VIS) and TrafficInfraTech magazine, had so meticulously planned for. Co-org

anisers Afidamp Servizi Srl and Fiera Bolzano Srl – both from Italy – had lent an able support and were happy to be associated with the show. The show was supported by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE), Asian Professional Security Association (APSA) and Fire & Safety Association of India (FSAI).

In his message to the exhibitors, Shri R R Patil, the Home Minister of Maharashtra wrote, “With road and rail accidents on the rise, the air traffic schedule getting unpredictable and the water travel beset with piracy problems, safety in all aspects has become crucially important. Equally important is Traffic engineering and management to bring in disciplined traffic movement.”

Senior officers of Government of India, National Highway Authority of India and Traffic Police, representatives of Consulates, infrastructure companies, municipal corporations, public works departments, town planners and trade visitors kept the 65 exhibitors on their toes throughout the Expo. Representatives of hotels, malls, hospitals & real estate and airport authorities and developers too came in large numbers to gain information and strike deals on parking management, guidance systems and safety. “I have called my two little sons here today so that they can see why their father has not been getting time with them at all,” exclaimed Rasmeet Kohli, Managing Director, Envoys Electronics Pvt Ltd on the last day of the show. Kohli was seen patiently explaining to the constant flow of visitors about his products — traffic signal controllers, traffic lights, pedestrian lights, VMS displays, etc. on all the three days.

Infrastructure, parking & guidance systems, toll systems, road furniture, lighting, road safety products, signages, security, traffic management, highway traffic management, laboratories for traffic products, aviation, systems for railways were all at the show. Likewise, government departments, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Traffic Police, concessionaires, special institutes associated with transport and traffic – all the decision makers were there too.

Such an encouraging attendance cheered the exhibitors because these attendees were exactly the contacts they were looking forward to when they booked their stalls for TrafficInfraTech Expo last year. “You have given me some very good quality enquiries. Now it is up to me to build on those contacts and lead them to solid business,” said Sandro Gervasio of Aisico S.r.l., Italy whose company specialises in carrying out tests for transports products, specially noise and crash barriers. “We are a research centre and we are involved in amalgamation of materials for road safety and environment – noise barriers and crash barriers. My intention is to promote them here and become a consultant company in order to improve the quality of materials of the tools that you use on your roads. I am also looking at the possibility of a centre of research here in future. This Expo is very-very interesting – a lot of people and a lot of contacts.”

What brought a cheer on many a face was the continuous flow of Traffic Commissioners and Transport authorities from various states who walked in groups around the gangway, halting at each stall, and learning of the new technologies that could come to their aid in managing traffic in their cities. “Many Police Commissioners and other senior police officers have come here and appreciated our product,” said Neeraj Kushwaha, Project Manager (Video & Security Products), Industrial Projects division, of Technosys Security Systems Pvt Ltd who displayed, among other products, the company’s unique software Red Light Violation System. Introduced for the first time in India, the software, when integrated with CCTV cameras, records an entire list of the vehicles that violate the red lights at any given point of time. It records the time, date, location and number plate of the vehicle. By getting the database of number plates from the RTO office, the offender can easily be nabbed. “We got a good clientele,” he said. “It’s a very good concept in India. People from CRRI, NHAI, RITES and big firms who consult with government – came and saw our product.”

Many compared the show with other traffic shows they had attended — in India and abroad. Said Yuvraj Singh Ahuja, Director, Frontier Polymers Pvt Ltd which is into road safety products, “This show has been much better than the last two shows we participated in. So we know where we want to be for the next show.” Ahuja said he was introducing his entire product range to the market at the show. “The profile of the visitors has been very good. We are very happy with the kind of people who walked in. It’s a good platform to showcase our products. We are definitely going to participate in your show next time also.”

Ron Phillips, Director, Asia-Pacific (Sales), Stalker which is into law enforcement products in speed measurement of traffic, expressed similar emotions. He said on the second day, “We have just recently come from another show in Vietnam and this has four times more the visitors passing each stall. We have been running out of our visiting cards and have had them reprinted last night. We have got more than what we would expect from a trade show.” He marveled at the Indian talent in putting up a magnificent venue replete with every facility.

It was not just Stalker which ran out of visiting cards, many other exhibitors had to go in for reprint as well.