TrafficInfraTech Magazine Linking People Places & Progress
The industrial corridors are identified as economic corridors. The highway does carry the freight traffic. For example, in some places the dominant transport happens to be the passenger transport. The Delhi, Jaipur, Vadodara and Mumbai highways are more like economic corridors.
The second part is bringing in some kind of a lane discipline. We are looking at the possibility of putting a height barrier for the first two lanes or three lanes – depending on the nature of traffic – and earmarking those lanes for only LCVs like cars, jeeps and similar vehicles, and moving the trucks on to the outer side lanes. This is because during night time, the number of trucks plying on those routes is much large than the cars whereas during day time, the number of trucks is less. So, we are trying to address both these parts. It requires a combination of actions.
We are waiting for the amendments in Motor Vehicles Act where there is an enabling provision for authorized dealers of vehicles to be given the authority to register vehicles. As soon as that comes, let us also mandate it for them that any new vehicle coming out in the market should also be equipped with a FASTag. So, that is going to be the first easiest point of sale for the FASTag. Getting the system implemented through banks may not be the ideal situation. We have to look for further improvement.
So, vehicle dealers have to be the first interface points. We would also like to explore the possibility of bringing in all the petrol pumps located on the highways as authorized agents for the sale of FASTags along with top-up facilities. The third phase is having toll plazas as the sale points.
For all these, we will require a lot of cooperation from the concessionaires and the toll operators. We are working towards involving them in the processes as mentioned above.
The challenges of working on road projects in states like Jammu & Kashmir and in Himachal Pradesh or such areas and those of working in the North East are very different. In the North-East, we do not face a situation of snow but face torrid rains for a much longer span.
What is happening to Intelligent Transport Systems on the highways?
By this year-end, we should have our own developed software for the management of toll plazas. Right now, we are dependent on ICICI software for the FASTags. All our toll plazas have also to be equipped with effective 360 degree cameras to enable us to monitor the plaza from a central control room. I would also look at promising some kind of a service level to the road user if we want him to take to the ETC system of payment. For that, I am looking at providing a red lane at 70, 80, or 100 meters with an assurance that if a toll plaza is not being managed properly and if the user has to queue up and stand beyond that lane, then he should be entitled to a free pass. Similarly, if my FASTag is not working, he is entitled to a free pass. So, if we give this kind of a confidence to the road user, he will switch over to FASTag sooner.
We have developed an app “MyHighway” which lets grievances reach us. A bad spot can be photographed and sent to us. As we develop more apps, I also monitor their easy usability. The IT staff designs, knows the usage of the phone but it does not give sufficient indications as to what to use. We insist that the apps are designed for the common man. That is the first point of encouraging usage of that app. We are streamlining this.
What are you doing about development of highways on the hilly areas?
The challenges of working on road projects in states like Jammu & Kashmir and in Himachal Pradesh or such areas and those of working in the North East are very different. In the North-East, we do not face a situation of snow but that of torrid rains for a much longer span. So, the Himalayan geology is unlike the Aravalis – it is not uniform. Instead, it is very fragile in certain places and a mix of stone boulders and earth at other places. It is also susceptible to landslides, and rains, very often. In J&K and Himachal, we face sporadic law and order situations coupled with rains and landslides.
We get valley on one side and a very steep slope on the other side. So, cutting on this will make the loose soil come on to it. You cannot go towards the steep valley side. So, wherever we have some such features, we are also taking recourse to construction of tunnels like the Chenani-Nashri tunnel. Six more tunnels on that stretch are either already under construction or will be constructed in the near future. 60 percent work has been completed on another tunnel of eight and a half kilometers. So, once this project gets completed, the travel time between Srinagar to Jammu will come down to about five hours. So, these areas require tremendous efforts and huge costs.