NHAI pens Rs3,000cr solutions plan

Host of international ITS majors are lining up for this pie.

Three minutes! That was the time taken to provide help when Bollywood star and Congress MP Govinda's wife and two children were injured while political secretary was killed in last August when their van collided head on with a truck on the Jaipur-Ajmer road as they were going to Ajmer.

Thanks to the high end Traffic Management System (TMS), it is making a journey traceable at any point and ensures quick service in case of a vehicle break down or accident.

Also imagine a transporter who is regularly plying on the highway, has to stop to pay toll at least 4-5 times.

The TMS on Indian highways will now enable a truck driver to pay toll by pre-paid card.

All this is part of the Rs 3000 crore Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) solutions market in the country with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) implementing National Highways Development Project (NHDP), India's largest ever highway construction project.

A host of international ITS majors are lining up for this Rs 3000 crore pie.

NHAI is developing Golden Quadrilateral of 5,846 kms and North-South-East-West Corridor of 7,300 kms.

Austrian MNC Efkon AG, German major Siemens, Canada's GEA, Telvin of Spain, Mumbai-based CMS, Austrian major Kapsch Group, US-based Transcore and Norwegian company Qfree are among those keen.

So what is ITS? ITS primarily include Highway Traffic Management System (HTMS) and Urban Traffic Management System (UTMS).

HTMS is a sophisticated and high-end solutions that quickens the toll collection process and ensures free flowing traffic with keeping road traveller informed through variable message signs.

On the otherside, UTMS automates all the activities at the control centre and support activities of emergency handling such as medical assistance to critical patients, ambulance management, equipment management and partner tracking.

What are the benefits of this solution?

Says Pushkar Kulkarni, Chief Executive Officer, Efkon Group India: "ITS makes travel more predictable. A company executive can very clearly make it out that the truck load will reach in specified time with the help of tracking technologies. HTMS technology helped in bringing down fatality whenever an accident occurs."

For instance, total number of fatal accidents has come down to 57 in 2005 against 388 in 2003 in the Jaipur - Kishangarh Highway in Jaipur, claims Efkon, after it installed its ITS solutions.

Efkon is also in talks with Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for implementing traffic management system in Mumbai road projects. The company began its operations in India in 2000 and employs 110. It is planning to increase three fold in the next 2 - 3 years.

Efkon's Kulkarni adds, "The Indian market potential is huge. Every 100 km developed will require at least Rs 15 crore worth ITS solutions. This will assure you specified time of travel and avert fatal accidents."

Industry sources said that the government is making implementation of automotive traffic system mandatory for awarding highway project on build operate transfer (BOT) basis to private players.

HTMS & THE ROAD AHEAD

Quickens the toll collection process

Cuts down the pollution

Ensures free flowing traffic

Quick services in emergencies

Enables variable message signs UTMS

Third Party systems for emergencies

Automation of control room

Medical Assistance

Ambulance Management

Equipment management