Intelligent driving solutions feature in new Motor Bill

September 15, 2014

NEW DELHI: Intelligent speed adaptation, driver alert control and eye drowsiness detectors are some of the features proposed in new Motor Bill that seeks to prevent at least 2 lakh road accident deaths in next five years through hefty penalties and jail-terms.

The Narendra Modi government has unveiled an ambitious ‘vision’ for reducing road fatalities by 20 per cent annually as part of the draft Road Transport & Safety Bill 2014, concerned over an alarming 1.38 lakh road accident deaths, the highest in the globe.

Motor Vehicles regulation provides for “technologies such as intelligent speed adaptation, driver alert control, eye drowsiness detectors, distance closure rate detection and green box monitoring,” as per the draft unveiled yesterday.

Driver drowsiness detection is a car safety device which prevents accidents when the driver is getting drowsy.

The Bill is aimed at bringing down fatalities in road accidents by two lakh in the first five years in a scenario where India reports around 5 lakh road accidents annually.

The Bill provides for simplified single-window automated driving licence systems including unified biometric systems to avoid licence duplication.

Among various measures to ensure road safety, the draft provides for wearing of belt by driver and passenger.

“A person is guilty of an offence if such person does not wear a seat belt, as a driver or passenger, when driving or riding in a motor vehicle on a road,” it said.

Also, the draft makes it mandatory for bus and other passengers to wear seat belts.

In case of children below 8 years it says, “except as provided by regulations, a parent or guardian of the child, or in the absence of such parent or guardian, the driver of the motor vehicle must not without reasonable excuse allow a child below the age of eight years to occupy the front seat of a motor vehicle when the vehicle is in motion.”

The Bill provides for up to Rs 5,000 penalty for violation of provisions related to wearing seat belts while in case of head gears it is Rs 2,500.

Seeking to come down heavily on traffic offenders, it proposes penalty of up to Rs 3 lakh along with a minimum 7-year imprisonment for death of a child in certain circumstances, besides huge fines for driving violations.

It also proposes a fine of Rs 5 lakh per vehicle as well as imprisonment for faulty manufacturing design, besides cancellation of licences for rash and negligent driving.

The Bill, unveiled by Road Transport and Highways Ministry for seeking suggestion from stakeholders, proposes penalty of up to Rs 1 lakh or imprisonment for six months which may extend to one year or both in case of using vehicle in unsafe conditions

First offence for drunk driving will attract “Rs 25,000 fine, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months, or with both, and a six-month license suspension.”

“Second offence within three years will result in Rs 50,000 penalty or imprisonment for up to one year or both and a one year licence suspension.

“Any subsequent offence shall result in the cancellation of the licence, and impounding of the vehicle which may extend for 30 days,” draft Road Transport & Safety Bill 2014 said.

If school bus drivers are caught driving drunk, Rs 50,000 fine will be imposed with imprisonment for three years while “immediate cancellation” of licence will take place in case of drivers in the age-group of 18 to 25 years involved in such incidences.

Causing death of a child in certain circumstances will result in “Rs 3 lakh fine, and imprisonment for a term not less than 7 years” while violating traffic signal three times will result in Rs 15,000 fine, licence cancellation for a month and a compulsory refresher training, it said.

It also provides for graded point system for imposing fines.

The ministry has sought comments from public and stakeholders on the Bill and will thereafter finalise it for presentation to Parliament and passage during the ensuing winter session.

Commenting on the Bill, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said: “Providing safe, efficient, cost effective and faster transport across the country is our mission…Our new Bill gives emphasis on E-governance to bring in transparency in the transport sector. Our new ‘golden hour’ policy will provide immediate relief to accident victims and will help save lakhs of lives.

The Golden Hour policy provides for treatment to road accident victims within one hour.

Other features include unified vehicle registration system, single National Road Transport & Multinational Coordination Authority and Goods Transport and National Freight Policy.

It encompasses provisions for safety of vehicles, including implementation of safety equipment of motor vehicles.

The Bill has been drafted in sync with the best practises of six advanced nations – US, Canada, Singapore, Japan, Germany and the UK.

It aims to ensure electronic detection and centralised offences information to identify repeat-offenders.

The Bill proposes constitution of Highway Traffic Regulation and Protection Force constituted and maintained by the state governments, for the purpose of effective policing and enforcement of traffic regulations on highways.

The Bill proposes a Motor Accident Fund for the purpose of providing compulsory insurance cover to all road users in the territory of India.

Several provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988, especially those related to penalties for violations, have not been found to be effective in checking road accidents. The Act was last amended in 2001.

Source:The Economic Times

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under About, Government (Govt)

Two of the Smart cities for country’s capital

September 12, 2014

Delhi could get two of the smart cities — a brand new one in the city’s outskirts to be developed by the Delhi Development Authority and a second in New Delhi Municipal Council area.

This has been proposed in the first blueprint of Modi government’s ambitious project to develop 100 smart cities across India. Drafted by the urban development (UD) ministry, the concept note proposes to include 44 cities with a population between 1 to 4 million under the scheme.

As first reported by HT on August 27, the UD ministry’s concept note has estimated an annual investment of Rs. 35,000 crore for developing the 100 smart cities.

However, the note stops short of elaborating on how the funds would be generated. The note, which was put online for public discussion, has knocked off parts from an earlier draft which proposed a host of measures for raising funds from the public.

It says that a large part of the financing for smart cities will have to come from private sector and mentions broadly mentions imposing of user charges for utilities and a betterment levy for “enhancing the resource pool” without specifying how much fund would be generated from these measures.

Some of the basic criteria proposed for selecting cities includes cities which have an approved Master Plan, which can commit to provide free right of way for laying optic fibre networks among others.

The note says that a smart city would have facilities ranging from uninterrupted power and water supply, online delivery of all public services, and an effective public transport system among others.

Source:Hindustan Times

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under About, Government (Govt), Smart City

Signals to sense traffic flow in Bangalore

September 12, 2014

To decongest the city, the Bangalore police are planning to set up traffic sensing mechanisms to monitor and better regulate movement of vehicles, police Commissioner M.N. Reddi said.

On Thursday, he told reporters that Bangalore has over 300 junctions. Setting up traffic sensing units at key junctions would help the traffic police to better manage vehicular movement. “We have a first class traffic management centre. However, we are still unable to assess the traffic flow. With signal optimisation, we can have green corridors or green waves to ease congestions.”

The traffic police would also ensure that lane discipline is adhered to by earmarking sections for slow and fast moving vehicles. He said that with paid parking systems, haphazard parking, especially in densely populated business centres, could be eliminated.

Source:The Hindu

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under About, Traffic Control

Anti-toll activists to hold public debate with NHAI

September 12, 2014

The National Highway Toll Collection Opposition Federation will convene a public debate with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials on September 13 at Hanumanahalli toll point on the outskirts of Mulbagal.

Holding ‘irresponsibility and negligence’ of the NHAI and contractors responsible for accidents, the federation has exhorted NHAI officials to participate in the meeting.

It has also issued notices to the Chief General Manager (Technical) and project director of NHAI regional office, Bangalore.

Veteran freedom fighter and president of the federation H.S. Doreswamy will take part in the debate.

In a notice, a copy of which is available with The Hindu , the federation took exception to collecting toll fees without completing works as per the agreement.

The Deputy Commissioner on Tuesday said that a criminal case would be filed against NHAI authorities and contractors for negligence.

Source:The Hindu

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under About, Toll Payments

Non-linear ropeway prototype debuts in Kolkata

September 12, 2014

Commuters in Kolkata may soon travel on a non-linear ropeway – that has the potential to swing its way through the city’s skyline dotted with high-rises – the makers, who tout it is the world’s first of its kind, said after launching a prototype.

The private firm which has developed and patented this new pollution-free aerial transit – christened Curvo ropeway – is in talks with the West Bengal government to launch the service in two sectors as a second-tier urban transportation option.

Test-run of the prototype, with two cabins, was conducted within a stretch of 500 metres at a spot in Kolkata’s Joka area recently.

The inventors are also applying for certification to open the prototype for the public.

“It is the world’s first non-linear ropeway for alternative urban transportation. This will be a new-age transport system and add to the concept of smart cities. There are two proposals which we are discussing with the state government, regarding launching the service in Sealdah-B.B.D. Bag area and the other from Nabanna, the state secretariat,” said Rachana Mukherjee, director, Conveyor and Ropeway Services Pvt. Ltd.

“In addition, we are applying for certification to open the prototype for the public,” she said Saturday.

The ropeway service, to be run on electricity, will breeze over existing arterial and other roads on steel portal frames spaced at 90-100 metres supporting the ropes, avoiding the congestion on the streets below.

On any designated route, there will be elevated stops for deboarding and boarding of the passengers every 750 metres.

Proposed to run at 12.5 km per hour, the carrying capacity of the ropeway on a single track is pegged at 2,000 people per hour.

“On a double track, the capacity will be double. Cabins, with a capacity of eight to 10 seats, will be spaced at 22 to 25 seconds interval. The tariffs will be competitive keeping in mind the bus fares.”

“It is definitely safe and will offer greater flexibility (with regard to destinations) than the metro,” Mukherjee said, adding it is a completely indigenous technology.IANS

This will be a new-age transport system and add to the concept of smart cities

Source:The Hindu

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under About, Tech

5 key elements of PM Narendra Modi’s 100 smart cities

September 11, 2014

PM Narendra ModiThe Centre has prepared a blueprint to define the key elements of the 100 smart cities it plans to establish across the nation. The cities were one of the main promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year

The government has allocated Rs.1000 crore for each city which will be selected according to its population. Eight cities with more than four million people have been identified and they will have a satellite smart city.

45 cities with one to four million people will be upgraded to a smart city. 17 capital cities also qualify, irrespective of their population. There will be at least 10 other smart cities with tourist and religious significance.

The Centre is currently working out the details of the ambitious plan by organising workshops with state secretaries. A national workshop with state CMs is planned in October followed by the approval from the Union Cabinet in November.

The programme is likely to be launched on December 25, the birthday of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Here are the five main elements of the proposed smart cities identified by the Urban Development Ministry:

1. In terms of infrastructure, the smart cities should have 24×7 availability of high quality utility services like water and power.

2. A robust transport system that emphasises on public transport is also a key element.

3. In social infrastructure, the cities should provide opportunities for jobs and livelihoods for its inhabitants.

4. The smart cities should also have proper facilities for entertainment and the safety and security of the people. State-of-the-art health and education facilities are also a must.

5. The smart cities should minimize waste by increasing energy efficiency and reducing water conservation. Proper recycling of waste materials must be done in such cities.

Source:India Today

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under About, Government (Govt), Smart City

Road users slam collection of toll on NH 210

September 11, 2014

Some major components of the NH work are yet to be over

Pay before you use:The overbridge at Letchumanapatty near Keeranur on NH 210 is still at its nascent stage, but the NHAI has granted permission to a private company to collect toll at two places.— Photo: A.Muralitharan

Collection of toll on National Highway 210, which is yet to be fully completed, has drawn criticisms from road users.

Though the majority of works on the 81.05-km stretch between Mandaiyur near Tiruchi and Managiri in Sivaganga district have been completed, important components such as construction of overbridge at Kalamavur and bridges near Pudukottai are yet to be completed. Motorists are still using the old road at several points. In some places, the private company that undertakes the laying of extended two-lane is yet to put up signboards .

However, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has given permission to the private company to collect toll at Letchumanapatty near Keeranur and Lembakudi near Karaikudi. For a single trip from Tiruchi to Karaikudi, buses and trucks have to shell out Rs.170. The fee for a car or van is Rs.50 (Rs.25 each at Letchumanpatty and Lembakudi).

Though motorists have no hesitation to pay the toll, the permission granted for collecting toll before fully completing the works anguishes many.

“We pay hefty sums for using the toll road. But motoring at several stretches is still painful. The NHAI shouldn’t have given permission to collect the toll before the full completion of works,” says M.Murugesan, a car driver.

“We couldn’t understand the rationale behind the decision.

If the NHAI wanted to help the investors, who built the road, it should have pressurised them to complete the works within the stipulated time or it should have played the role of facilitator to convince the line departments to complete remaining works on time,” said another road user.

When contacted, personnel at the toll plazas told The Hindu that the fee was being collected only for the completed portion. As per NHAI rules, fee can be collected if 75 per cent of the road works are completed. As far as the Tiruchi-Karaikudi road is concerned, about 80 per cent of the works have been completed, they said.

Source:The Hindu

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under About

Traffic awareness campaign held

September 11, 2014

About 25 employees of Ford India participated in an awareness campaign on Wednesday, educating the public and students on the need to wear helmets and seat belts.

The awareness campaign, which went on for more than a couple of hours, was part of the Global Week of Caring programmes of the company.

The employees take up programmes related to health and safety, digital literacy, etc, ever year as part of the awarenss campaign.

Source:The Hindu

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under About, Traffic Control

To unclog Delhi, hop into a streetcar named strategy

September 10, 2014

Fighting congestion by widening a road is like loosening your belt to fight obesity’ – US-based traffic engineer Walter Kulash’s observation about Orlando couldn’t have been more appropriate for Delhi.

To unclog the streets of Delhi, what we first need is an exhaustive and specific study to understand what clogs our roads. The city’s top experts believe that instead of incremental and reactive measures such as building one flyover after another, what Delhi needs is a comprehensive transport policy.

Hindustan Times has been running a month-long series ‘Unclog Delhi’ and as part of the campaign, we invited the top transport and planning experts of Delhi for a brainstorming session. One issue on which all experts agreed was the immediate need for a vision document for Delhi’s transport planning and an umbrella body that could coordinate with the multitude of authorities to come up with an integrated transport plan.

“Delhi doesn’t have a stated, comprehensive transport policy. It only has an operational plan prepared in 2003,” said Nalin Sinha, Director, Initiative for Transportation and Development Programmes. Sinha said all transport-related initiatives in the city are taken in an ad hoc manner in the absence of a stated policy.

AK Jain, former commissioner (planning), Delhi Development Authority, said that instead of a study of Delhi’s traffic demand management, short-term measures such as creating more flyovers and roundabouts are taken to deal with immediate problems.

Sinha emphasised on the need for an umbrella body for transport planning. “In most cities with successful transport and traffic scenario such as New York and London, it is the municipality’s responsibility,” he said. “In Delhi, the transport department reports to the government and is responsible for giving licenses, municipalities do not have time to handle anything beyond water and sewage, the DTC is autonomous, DDA does only land planning and PWD only builds roads and flyovers. Everyone passes the buck,” he said.

The experts also believe that instead of planning just the smooth movement of cars, transport planning should focus on the mobility of more people in a faster way. “There is no road designing in Delhi. Most roads have been designed just for motor vehicles,” said AK Bhattacharjee, former director, Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning & Engineering) Centre (UTTIPEC).

He said that Delhi’s streets have been designed as highways, which lack all components to ensure equitable distribution of road space for all, including pedestrians and cyclists. “Of the Rs. 3,500 crore budget for transport in Delhi, Rs. 2000 crore goes into building flyovers. What about other transport and road infrastructure?” he said.

Strengthening Delhi’s public transport system and making it more seamless could help wean away people from private transport but what is required is proper last-mile connectivity, something the Delhi Metro sorely needs in spite of emerging as Delhi’s lifeline.

“When you have a world-class Metro in Delhi, why can’t you invest in last-mile connectivity?” said Professor PK Sarkar, head of transport planning department, School of Planning and Architecture. “Is flyover an essential requirement or do you have to see greater mobility?” he said.

Dr Sewa Ram, Associate Professor, School of Planning and Architecture, said that the issue of feeder services for Metro has been completely neglected when that and auto rickshaws should be a part of a lay-out plan. “There should be operational integration between different modes of public transport and fare integration on the principle of defined time, defined value. There is a need for a common mobility card,” he said.

“Ideally, one should spend two-third of the funds on the main route and one-third on the feeder service. What is happening is the opposite. People end up paying more on feeder services and less in Metro,” he said.

“Along Metro lines, traffic has gone up by 2-3% but away from Metro lines, traffic has seen a 9% growth rate. Mass transport has reduced traffic growth rate,” said Dr K Ravinder, senior scientist, Central Road Research Institute.

Jain said that alternative modes of transport can be used to lessen the pressure on Delhi’s roads. One such way is energising the existing Ring Railway of the city. He also said that radical innovations, such as using Delhi’s canals, which measure about 350 km, as waterways can also be looked into.

Source:Hindustan Times

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under About, Traffic Congestion, Traffic Control

Govt sets ball rolling for smart city project in Ujjain

September 10, 2014

The Union government will soon start the process for construction of a ‘smart city’ near Ujjain which will be developed under Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project.

The Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (DMICDC) plans to invite bids for developing trunk infrastructure for the smart city at Vikram Udyogpuri near Ujjain by October, an industry department official told HT.

The DMICDC will invite international competitive bidding for developing trunk infrastructure including water supply, sewerage treatment and roadways among others. The government will provide funds for the trunk infrastructure through DMIC Trust.

The master plan for the smart city in Ujjain, which will be an integrated industrial township, has already been accepted by the state government and the land acquisition has been completed. The site for the proposed Vikram Udyogpuri is located about 8 km from the temple town of Ujjain, which is about 55 km from Indore.

The state government has proposed to develop 444 hectare land for residential, commercial, public and semi-public buildings besides educational institutes and industrial training institutes (ITIs). “The first phase project cost has been estimated at Rs. 808.60 crore and it will be completed by 2019,” the official said.

The Vikram Udyogpuri township will consist of automotive and auto components, IT and engineering services industries and educational institutions.

In January this year, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had approved the development of trunk infrastructure for Vikram Udyogpuri which falls in Pithampur-Dhar-Mhow investment region of the DMIC project. According to official estimates, the industrial township at Vikram Udyogpuri is expected to attract private sector investments of around Rs. 13,000 crore.

A special purpose vehicle has already been floated for the project, which will invite private developers to develop, operate and maintain real estate projects and commercial development on Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis and operation and maintenance of selected trunk infrastructure. The SPV comprises the subsidiaries of the Madhya Pradesh government and DMIC Trust.

A smart city must have three of the five infrastructure requirements – energy management, water management, transport and traffic, safety and security and solid waste management. At the same time, it must have three of the five application domains – healthcare, education, inclusion, participative governance and community services.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) will lend funds for the project.

Source:Hindustan Times

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under About, Government (Govt), Smart City

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