Problems that Roads Cross
Despite serving as catalyst to the Indian economy, Indian roads are home to serious perils. Having signed the Brasilia Declaration, the Indian government is determined to cut down road accidents and related fatalities by half. However, the figures from the last decade indicate over 1.3 lakh road accidents every year, or about four deaths per minute. Notwithstanding the human losses Indian road system witnesses every day, the huge sequence of traffic congestion is another strong blow on our national productivity. It is estimated that just the four big cities of our country lose close to 1.3 lakh crores a year due to traffic congestion. We have yet to get unanimous consensus on ecological damages & dangers and why better road systems in collaboration with smart automobile designs should not solve the environmental concerns. Imagine the environmental conditions of cities like Faridabad and Colaba, Mumbai living under hazardous conditions, particularly when they are also connected with several road networks.
ITS: Adding Intelligence to our transport system
The basic premise for an Intelligent Transport System is in ensuring high-level transportation safety along with retaining its environmental sustainability. While a typical ITS application may focus on the vehicle and road infrastructure, its efficiency lies in the integrated approach to creating congestion-free traffic. Be it the red light cameras, electronic toll check-points or traffic signal coordination, application of ITS is cost-efficient, has multi-dimensional benefits including reduced traffic congestion and greater mobility, thus an improved and hassle free travel time.
Of several applications of Intelligent Transport System, some of the usually familiar examples are:
Traffic Signal Management: With the ITS-technology, the efficiency to synchronize several intersections is readily increased. From using sensors to detect approaching transit vehicles to enhancing multi-directional traffic monitoring and management, common roadside applications like traffic signal or closed-circuit television translate into better regulation and management of complicated traffic situations.
Electronic Toll Collection: A good example of ITS at work is when roads collect toll taxes. Operated by NHAI, an ITS-application is FASTag “ which enables automatic deduction of toll charges and lets the vehicle pass through the toll plaza without stopping for cash transaction”. Automating the daily transactions of such volume with ITS-enabled technology not only increases operational efficiency and human productivity but also boosted drivers’ convenience and comfortable travel time.
The best part about the technology-tethered transportation system is its unmatched connectivity, not just on roads but also with the larger world. Providing Wi-Fi hotspots at regular intervals or deploying real-time information exchange across several nodal points on a road network, ITS has huge applications that need to be explored in developing countries like India. In a global context where the Intelligent Transport System is expected to reach a market size of USD 37.64 billion, India must advance ahead to promote wide usage of cloud computing and big data analytics in traffic management systems. Taking the ITS as a data-intensive application approach, we should be better prepared to reduce vulnerabilities of transport infrastructure that not only optimizes road productivity but also designed to withstand extreme events like flooding or severe weather. Using existing communication systems with new-age Digital technologies, ITS is going to play pivotal role in “bridging the gap between the current and targeted safe roads in India”.
Source Link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/using-intelligent-transport-system-boost-road-india-srivastava/
