A Hindi radio channel on highways to hit the road

C P Joshi is planning a dedicated Hindi AM radio channel for drivers using national highways

Union Road Minister C P Joshi is planning a dedicated Hindi AM radio channel for drivers using national highways. It is part of Joshis plans for the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE),which he hopes to develop as Indias first high-tech highway.

The road would see constant surveillance of traffic,with a dedicated radio station keeping drivers informed of situations such as pile-ups. This station would later go on to include information on other highways.

Incidentally,Joshi had earlier opposed the EPE for more than a year.

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In a letter to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI),the Road Transport Ministry has sought application of the Intelligent Transport System on the high-visibility EPE. That would mean high-resolution,close-circuit TV cameras every kilometre on straight stretches,and a little closer on blind and non-linear curves,to record incidents and provide constant information on the physical condition of the road.

The ministry letter envisages a toll management control centre monitoring the traffic and relaying real-time information on traffic condition,unusual events,congestion levels and weather through the concessionaires website,subscription-based alert system,TV channels and a dedicated AM radio channel for national highways.

The ministry wants all communication,visual as well as audio,to be in Hindi as a large portion of the users of the EPE are likely to be bus and truck drivers. Variable electronic message signboards could also be placed along the road for traffic updates.

The Intelligent Transport System would include another new feature,dynamic tolling,whereby devices placed across all lanes would check overloading in trucks and charge penalty accordingly.

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The ministry wants the NHAI to subsequently consider including the Intelligent Transport System in all other projects (which are to be taken up) in the Annual Work Programme for 2012-13.

The 109-km EPE would loop outside Delhi and cross through Sonepat,Noida,Ghaziabad,Palwal and Kundli to divert vehicles headed for Uttar Pradesh,Rajasthan and Punjab away from the National Capital Region.

Earlier,Joshi had insisted on rates 1.5 times the normal charge for use of the EPE,dividing the Road Transport Ministry on the matter.

The NHAI and Finance Ministry had argued that a higher toll on the EPE would prompt travellers to take the twin Western Peripheral Expressway and impact the EPEs viability.

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Ironically,it is Joshi who wants to showcase the EPE now. Apart from fulfilling functional consideration of efficient and streamlined traffic management,safety,security and surveillance… (Intelligent Transport System) implementation… may be utilised to showcase,popularise and benchmark its application across highway projects in different parts of the country, says the ministrys letter.

Toll collection would also be a combination of manual and electronic if the Intelligent Transport System comes into play. A chip-embedded sticker will be put on a vehicle and money will be automatically collected from the chip. This system was first tested last May at Chandimandir on the Delhi-Chandigarh highway.

The entire EPE should use solar lights,with backup gensets considering heavy fogging in and around the NCR,says the ministrys letter,adding that this could also earn the NHAI carbon credits.

In addition,the (system) may be adequately equipped with tow-away vehicles,inspection vehicles,ambulances and small-time,spot-repair equipment, it adds.