Computerised toll plazas on all highways by April 2014

August 14, 2013

ENS Economic Bureau : New Delhi

Users of national highways in the country can expect a hassle-free passage across all toll plazas from April next year, as the road transport ministry has announced plans to implement electronic toll collection on all tolled national highways.

At a panel discussion on next-generation tolling and corridor management, organised by Feedback Infrastructure, road transport minister CP Joshi announced the deadline. “We have recently incorporated a company called Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL), for implementation of nation-wide electronic toll collection (ETC). The government of India is also amending the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, for fitment of RFID tag on vehicles by the automobile manufacturers,” Joshi said.

Joshi also added that implementation of ETC will not only make traveling convenient but will also have a lot of other benefits. “With the implementation of ETC, we will see a lot of changes happening in the way projects are bid. Computerisation of tolling will also give a clear and transparent picture on tolls,” he said.

Around 50 per cent of the firm will be owned by companies in the sector. Another 25 per cent will be owned by financial institutions and the rest will be owned by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). “We have given more representation to private players in the company. In fact, this is their company and the government’s job is only of a facilitator. Almost all large companies have shown interest in this venture…,” said JN Singh, chairman of IHMCL and member (finance) of NHAI. The company has a paid-up capital of Rs 30 crore, which will be enhanced in due course according to the requirement and will have eight members, including the chairman.

IHMCL will start the process by setting up a Central Clearing House (CCH) for nation-wide ETC interoperability and infrastructure for tag distribution. The company is in the process of inviting Request for Qualification (RFQ) for short listing agencies for implementing end-to-end Turn-key ETC on pan-India basis.

Maintenance firms to be under lens

Soon, companies responsible for maintaining tolling and operations of various stretches and toll plazas will be penalised in case services provided are not of a particular standard. The standards are mentioned in the agreements signed between the government and road developer or operations and maintenance contractor.

“There are various services standards mentioned in the agreements, which the company that maintains the toll plaza and stretch has to provide. In case of a company not being able to provide that quality of service, it will be penalised,” said J N Singh, chairman of Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL).

Source-http://m.indianexpress.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Uncategorized

The ministry intends to set up a highway regulator this financial year: Oscar Fernandes

August 14, 2013

Sanjay Jog | Mumbai

Oscar Fernandes,

Union minister for road transport and highways

Oscar Fernandes took over as Union minister for road transport and highways at a time when the Centre is struggling to attract investments in the sector. After taking over during the reshuffle last month, Fernandes has his hands full. In an interview with Sanjay Jog, he explains a slew of initiatives being taken to give a much-needed push. Edited excerpts:

What are your plans to put the road sector on the fast track?
Formation of the roads and highways regulators, meeting the target of awarding projects of 9,638 km during 2013-14 and relaxation of norms for environment clearance are the issues under active consideration. Besides, the ministry is keen that the stretches requiring additional right of way (ROW) of 40 metres and length up to 100 km do not require environmental clearances. These issues are likely to be resolved shortly.The ministry’s efforts to resolve some other key issues have paid off. The Reserve Bank of India has issued guidelines that bank loans to concessionaires will be treated as secured loans. Stretches aggregating up to 4,000 km length will be taken up on EPC (engineering, procurement, construction) mode this year. National Project Monitors are being engaged for quality checks during implementation. Environmental and forest clearances are de-linked and obtaining the no-objection certificate from gram sabhas has been exempted. The Indian Highways Management Company Ltd has been formed for implementation of nation-wide electronic toll collection. The ministry has been delegated the financial power to sanction projects up to Rs 500 crore.

What is the completion target for this financial year and during the remaining period of the 12th Plan?Completion per km construction during 2011-12 was 13.73 km a day. It rose to 16.01 km/day during 2012-13. The target for 2013-14 is 17.34 km/day.

Progress on projects awarded is muted, especially due to the absence of necessary ROW, clearance and lack of financial closure. How are these issues being addressed?
According to the modified model concession agreement (MCA), it is to be ensured that 80 per cent of the total land is vested with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) at the time of appointed date. The ministry has taken a slew of initiatives to expedite land acquisition. The issue has been taken up with state governments for expediting the land acquisition matters. Regular meetings have been held at higher levels for speeding up the acquisition of land. High-powered committees under chief secretaries of state governments have been formed. Infrastructure and manpower resources to the Competent Authority for Land Acquisition in the respective states and Project Implementation Units of NHAI will be strengthened. In some of the states, special land acquisition units will be formed.

How will de-linking of environment and forest clearances come handy for speedy implementation?
Environment clearance is required for the entire stretch of the project highway, whereas forest clearance is needed for a particular stretch of the project highway where forest land is involved. Thus, forest clearance affects a small portion of the total project highway. De-linking of environment and forest clearances ensures speedy implementation of the project, as work can immediately start for the stretches that don’t require forest clearance. For the remaining stretches that need forest clearance, work may commence at a later time after obtaining the clearance.

Given the dismal performance of projects implemented under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) mode, what is the logic behind awarding projects on EPC and OMT (operate, maintain and transfer) basis?
One reason for the failure of the BOT mode during the past two years has been the absence of adequate market equity. Implementing EPC through budgetary support will boost the market equity, which will enable the market to rise again for making a favourable condition for taking projects on the BOT mode.

What efforts are being made to attract further investments, apart from the creation of infrastructure debt funds?
At present, the ministry’s focus is mainly on EPC projects to revive the industry. Besides, the ministry is making effort to remove all hurdles to pre-construction activities.

When will an independent regulator for the road sector be set up?
The ministry intends to set up a highway regulator within this financial year. Inter-ministerial consultation was held in March, which was followed by round table discussions with various stakeholders in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry in April. The task force has submitted its report in June. Bids for selection of consultants are under the ministry’s examination.

Source-http://www.business-standard.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Uncategorized

Volkswagen to showcase intelligent traffic system in city

August 14, 2013

Express news service :

Volkswagen Group India will showcase its future mobility concepts such as ‘MicroCity’ and ‘NILS’ during the Indo-German Urban Mela (IGUM), scheduled to be held at Deccan College Ground in Yerawada here from January 11.

Elaborating on the key features of ‘MicroCity’, Alexander Skibbe, head, corporate communication, Volkswagen Group, said, “It is an intelligent traffic system which makes using passenger vehicles in cities easier and more appeasing for customers. The MicroCity is a mobility hub that is more than simply a car-park and comes with integrated vehicle-rated services such as charging stations and vehicle rental stations.”

He added, “This hub is enhanced with shops and other useful services. The logical combination of mobility, services and concentrated parking zones in Micro-Cities would provide lasting relief for overcrowded cities.”

Skibbe said ‘NILS’ is a single-seat electric concept vehicle designated to address future individual mobility requirements. “NILS is a very compact car that requires extremely little space. It is only 3.04 m long and just 1.39 m wide from wheel-to-wheel, and a mere 1.2 m tall.

“This concept car features an Aluminum space frame, wing doors and free-standing wheels. It has a performance of a sports car, yet travels with zero emissions,” he said. Volkswagen will also organise plant tour of their Chakan facility through their pavillion at IGUM, and visitors can book plant tours of any of the designated places during the five days of the event.

Source-http://m.indianexpress.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Uncategorized

Pune Municipal Corporation needs Rs 25,000 crore to implement development plan for old city

August 14, 2013

PUNE: Preparing a new development plan (DP) for Pune city comes with a challenge of raising Rs 25,000 crore, a sum which will be required to improve infrastructure and meet its social obligations in the years to come.

This DP will be for a duration of 20 years (2007-2027), with special provisions for the Pune metro rail, a transport hub, expansion of main roads, schemes for housing for the needy and cluster development of old dilapidated ‘wadas’.

The PMC had earlier admitted that implementation of consecutive DPs drawn up in 1966 and 1987 was “pathetic” as a majority of the plans have remained on paper. In fact, only 40% of the 1987 DP has been implemented so far. Reservations for basic amenities like public urinals, play grounds, hospitals have not been developed. The 1987 DP reservations covered an area of around 1,000 hectare, of which only 134 hectare has been developed.

With bitter experiences of the past, the civic administration has worked on details of the financial feasibility analysis for the new plan.

The civic body has drafted a DP applicable to the old city area comprising 17 Peths and surrounding areas spread in a diameter of 147.85 sq km. It proposes 921 reservations covering 1,080.79 hectares for amenities like health, education, recreation, etc. The 1987 DP had 587 reservations for the purpose.

The civic administration, however, cites financial constraints, besides procedural delays, as a major reason for failure to implement the DP. City engineer Prashant Waghmare said, “The total cost of the draft DP is Rs 25,806.07 crore. The civic administration has made a detailed study on its financial aspects and has incorporated these conclusions. It is a must for any planning body to have a financial plan ready and the PMC has worked out the possible revenue resources which will help us carve out an implementation budget.”

A financial assessment document of the PMC incorporated in the draft DP states: “A detailed cost of acquisition and development of reservations, roads, tunnels, flyovers, buildings etc. has been worked out. Adequate deductions were then made for provisions made in the Development Control Regulation, such as accommodation reservation, Transfer of Development Right (TDR), amenity spaces use of (Floor Space Index) FSI of reservation and development TDR, mechanism of Public Private Partnership (PPP) and Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) etc”.

The total provision in the PMC annual budget has worked out to Rs 3,570.96 crore over a period of 10 years. This implies that every year a provision of Rs 357.96 crore has to be made in the PMC budget to meet the cost of acquisition and development of amenities proposed in the DP.

The reservation have been worked out based on the projected population of Pune by 2017 while the land use and zoning proposals have been planned based on the projected population by 2027. The cost required for land acquisition has been worked out by referring to values of land that is land cost, as mentioned in the Ready Reckoner 2011.

“The PMC’s revenue sources are shrinking. Pune is sixth in the list of big emerging cities in India and earlier the administration had categorically stated that an ideal annual budget for the city should be Rs 9,828 crore. However, elected representatives are against any tax hike. It is a fact that the city is falling short of funds for new projects and maintenance of the completed projects. If the city wants DP implemented, citizens should be ready to pay from their pockets and politicians need to stop playing to popular tunes,” said a senior official in the civic accounts department.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under developement

Intelligent traffic system for e-way to cost Rs 44 crore

August 13, 2013

Vandana Keelor, TNN

NOIDA: IIT-Delhi has approved a sum of Rs 43.6 crore for an intelligent traffic system (ITS) on Noida-Greater Noida Expressway. The move comes in the wake of a safety audit by the Central Road Research Institute.
According to the report, the e-way is a deathtrap for pedestrians and two-wheeler riders. Speeding cars and light commercial vehicles are the primary cause of road accidents here. Having received the nod from IIT, Noida Authority is gearing up to invite global consultants to launch the project in a month’s time.

Officials said ITS is expected to monitor and manage traffic flow on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway. “Once implemented, the system will minimize road accidents on the expressway,” Rama Raman, chairman and CEO, Noida Authority, said.

Once the technical and financial go-aheads are received and tenders finalized, the project will be completed in 12-18 months’ time. “The system will reduce travel time, improve traffic regulation and surveillance and reduce operational costs and incident reaction time,” Raman said.

The system will help measure traffic data in real time, detect incidents and congestions automatically and inform road users about travel time, road closures, diversions, rerouting and all major events. “Important features would include a control room, emergency call box, message signboards, CCTV cameras, speed cameras, automatic number plate readers, VID camera and meteorological data system,” said Sandeep Chandra, the technical head for the project who also holds charge of traffic in the city.

Since its inception in 2002, the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway has been the site of hundreds of deaths. Around 25 people have lost their lives while hundreds have been injured in the last six months.

Cameras would be placed at a height of 14 metres to detect movement up to a distance of 280 metres. “Large LED display boards will caution motorists about road and weather conditions. All stationary vehicles, speeding vehicles and getaway vehicles will be recorded. In the first phase, safety devices like reflective signboards, median markers and road studs will be installed between the Noida entry gate and Mahamaya flyover,” Chandra said.

The most important feature of the system will be reduced response time to an accident. ITS will guide road users to adapt speed to ensure smoother flow of traffic and help coordinate policing and emergency services. “The expressway will be under surveillance 24/7 which will help curb crime on the e-way,” Raman said.

Source-http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Traffic Control

Guest Editor – Sanjay Mehra

August 13, 2013

sanjay Sanjay Mehra is currently working as Professor, Vastu Kala academy, College Of Architecture, Delhi and has a total of twenty six years of professional experience that includes eleven years of academic experience. His work includes Understanding and working in a cultural framework keeping in mind the Socio-economic and physical infrastructure conditions. Working on available resources and their effective utilization for development that suits the context is the main concern. Developing new urban typology for existing cites/towns, that are constantly being invaded by modern infrastructure and technological advancement.

” Transport Corridors – Shaping Fringes”

It primarily skirts around the tolling system of roads along with their construction, operations management and the economics. Along with the materials and technology used in various parts of the world for the same, I believe that it is the prime objective of creating this platform.

I also feel that there are some other pertinent issues that need to be addressed while making a toll road. One of the fundamental issues is how it might affect the Development Process vis a vis accelerate the development process.

It would be interesting to note that most of the tolll roads planned in India are crossing areas that are undergoing changes and transformation that may affect the edges and boundary condition between toll road and the settlement where it is crossing. Here architecture may play an important role as to understand the role that fringes play and the kind of architecture that suits the edges.

This is my area of interest, to look at the edge conditions and define an interface between the settlement and a transport corridor..!!

This may answer larger issues of urbanization and city forms along the transport corridors.

Regards

Sanjay Mehra

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Guest Editorial, Guest Editorial

Dwarka subway now open to public

August 13, 2013

Santosh Sonawane, TNN |

NASHIK: Citizens would no longer have to fret about walking across the busy eight-lane Dwarka junction as district guardian minister ChhaganBhujbal on Saturday inaugurated the Dwarka Subway that was under construction for more than two years.Nashik Lok Sabha MP Sameer Bhujbal also attended the inauguration function.

The guardian minister said the subway would be a great utility for the pedestrians, especially school students, who previously had to walk across the busy eight-lane Dwarka junction each day.

He added that measures would be taken for the subway’s maintenance and security personnel would be deployed to prevent any untoward incident and encroachment.

Chhagan Bhujbal also spoke to police officials about security in the subway. Bhadrakali police station’s senior inspector Ramesh Patil said, “The guardian minister and I discussed the need for installing gates at the subway’s five entry and exit points, which could be shut at night. The police have already asked the company that constructed the subway to construct the gates.”

The MP, on his part, suggested the subway’s 165-metre long and 3.5-metre high walls could be painted on by artists.

The subway’s construction work began around May 2012 and frequently caused traffic snarls at Dwarka intersection. The activity left only about 30% of the road for vehicles to pass. The 6.1-km elevated corridor was also being constructed around the same time.

The subway has been constructed as pedestrians had to cross the four lanes each of the highway and the service road at Dwarka junction. Also, the four ramps at the junction are used by heavy vehicles for ascending or descending the elevated corridor.

Source-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Subway

BOT projects hit speed-bump

August 13, 2013

Hindu-page0001

Plagued by the weak financial position of players, delays in project clearances and low estimated traffic density for many stretches on offer, BOT (build-operate-transfer) projects in the roads sector have hit a roadblock and severely dented the pace of development of road infrastructure in the country.

Dwindling developer interest in BOT road projects is mirrored in the fact that awarding for national highway projects slowed to an eight-year low of 1,933 km in 2012-13 (this includes awarding both by National Highways Authority of India and the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways).

Financial position

The financial condition of many players in the sector is so precarious that the situation is unlikely to improve drastically in the current year. We expect nearly 2,600 km of awarding in 2013-14; nearly 50 per cent of this will be part of Phase IV, which mostly involves low traffic density stretches.

Pertinently, most of the projects will be awarded on EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) basis, not BOT.

It is not just awarding that has suffered in the past year or so; project execution too has taken a beating. During 2011-12, awarding hit a 9-year high of 7,283 km, however, at least 25 projects involving 3,300 km of roads are currently stalled.

Of these 25 projects, about 60 per cent are held up due to land acquisition or environmental clearance issues while the rest are stuck due to the inability of companies to achieve financial closure. We don’t see things on the ground changing swiftly; project execution will remain flat around 3,500 km during 2013-14 also.

This slump in attractiveness of BOT projects is largely the outcome of aggressive bidding by developers a couple of years ago. Projects awarded in 2011-12 faced delays in achieving financial closure as many players had bid aggressively by quoting a huge premium amount, based on highly optimistic road traffic density estimates that have not subsequently fructified. These aggressive bids lowered the viability of these projects.

Consequently, the gearing of many players is now very high due to a sizable portfolio of BOT projects under implementation; average gearing in companies in roads-BOT segment is 3.1 times as of 2012-13. Saddled with such high gearing, players have limited financial flexibility to bag more BOT projects. This was compounded by NHAI’s offer of relatively less attractive road projects in 2012-13, where traffic density, and thus, potential to make good returns was lower. The net result was a poor turnout of players for bidding.

Bank funds

Today, obtaining funds from banks is an even more arduous task for developers. Banks have become more cautious while lending to road projects since many of them are approaching their sectoral exposure limit towards the roads sector. In addition, banks are trying to ensure that land acquisition does not cause delays in the project.

Therefore, they are demanding that 80-100 per cent of the land be available with the developer at the time of awarding (typically, 40-50 per cent land is made available by NHAI at the time of awarding).

Many projects faced delays in getting environmental clearance and forest clearance, which added to the players’ discomfort and discouraged them from bidding for new projects. In the recent past, GMR and GVK filed for termination of two large BOT projects (awarded in 2011-12) citing delays in the allotment of land and clearances from NHAI.

The fall from favour of BOT projects among developers has left NHAI with little choice but to award more projects through the EPC route. EPC projects entail limited upfront capital requirement and lower risk compared to BOT projects, so player interest in them will remain high.

EPC route

Over the next 12-18 months, we expect most of the road projects to be awarded through the EPC route. This will boost the share of EPC projects in total investments to about 40 per cent in the next five years from 28 per cent in the past five years.

For the BOT road projects to pick up, funding availability needs to improve. While the government has tried to address this through steps such as relaxation of exit norms, in the current scenario these measures may not be enough. Developers on their part need to actively look at stake sale in operational BOT projects and at the same time look at equity infusion. While the implementing body and the project developers look at course correction, the road to recovery is expected to be some way off. Over the next couple of years both awarding as well as implementation is expected to remain subdued.

source: http://www.thehindu.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under MORTH

Noida to streamline traffic with E-challan

August 13, 2013

Vinod Rajput, Hindustan Times Noida,

To better its existing traffic management system by curbing rampant traffic rule violations, the Noida authority on Monday, decided to introduce electronic (E) challan facility soon.

The authority has roped in telecom major- Airtel for this ambitious project, which will also be helpful in implementation of intelligent traffic management (ITS) in future.

“E-chalan will enable traffic police to issue an instant chalan of a traffic violator. The moment a vehicle found violating any of the traffic rules like- traffic signal jump, rash driving and recklessly changing lanes etc, then police control room will get an SMS with the help of high-tech CCTV cameras installed on traffic poles at all traffic signals,” said Manoj Kumar Rai, officer on special duty (OSD), the Noida authority.

The Noida authority chairman Rama Raman on Monday had a meeting with assistant regional transport officer (ARTO)- Rajesh Singh, and airtel officials including Noida authority traffic cell to brain storm over the project at its sector 6 office.

To ensure smooth travel to thousands of daily commuters, and regulate city’s burgeoning traffic, the authority has already numbered each traffic pole installed at existing 69 traffic signals.

“We will give hand-held devices to traffic police to issue E-Chalan. After Delhi, Noida will be the first city in NCR to have E-chalan facility,” said OSD.

The authority has formed a team consisting of traffic police and traffic cell officials to identify two busy traffic signals, where trials will be conducted.

“If trials will be successful, then in next 2 months, this facility will be implemented in entire city to ensure better traffic regulation. The authority want to ensure that commuters do not face traffic jam,” said OSD.

Officials maintained that it is on way to build a road-map to make way for implementation of intelligent traffic system (ITS), which will work to monitor and regulate city traffic in a high-tech manner ahead.

Source-http://www.hindustantimes.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Traffic Control

Delhi: After delays, e-challan finally sees light of day

August 13, 2013

HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times New Delhi.

The much-awaited e-challan project of the traffic police has finally kicked-off in the city though the official inauguration of the project will take place at the end of this month.

“We made all 1,200 e-challan devices operational a few days ago. However, certain technical glitches remain which are being sorted out. We hope to formally launch the project by end of the month and make available the e-payment option in the devices,” said Anil Shukla, additional commissioner of police (traffic).

On Sunday, the police issued 2,239 e-challans to traffic violators in the Capital.

The e-challan has replaced a traffic policeman’s age-old challan book. It aims to help the police catch repeat offenders as it will be linked to the central database and will provide the policeman a record of previous traffic violations, if any. Traffic police claim the device will enable them to raise at least Rs. 120 crore per annum through e-challans, about three times the average annual amount of Rs. 45 crore.

With the launch of this project, Delhi has joined the league of Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai, where such a system is already in place, though sources said the devices are showing some glitches like heating up and connectivity problems.

The hand-held devices have been distributed among policemen in all traffic circles and are together likely to generate nearly 2,500-3,000 challan receipts every day, said a senior traffic police official.

The police have also received a go-ahead for the e-payment gateway from the ministry of home affairs and have tied up with State Bank of India for the facility, said officials.

The e-challan project had faced a number of administrative and technical roadblocks. These included the machine malfunctioning due to weather conditions and the inability of policemen to operate the devices.

Source-http://www.hindustantimes.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Traffic Control

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