The Government has taken many new initiatives for the development of new Express Highways and elevated roads for easing the traffic in major cities and strategically important cities in the country. The details of the projects on which work has been initiated during the last three years along with their approximate cost estimates and current status are as follows-

The Government has adopted many comprehensive and innovative strategies to combat and solve various road traffic problems including frequent fatal accidents occurring on National Highways using safety and security gadgets and technological innovations. The details are as follows-

1. Road Safety has been an area of concern with the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. As regards the accidents caused due to road engineering deficiencies, a total of 789 black spots have been identified, of which 189 have been rectified.  Work has been awarded in respect of another 219 black spots and 206 black spots are planned to be rectified over a period of next two years.  The road safety provisions include construction of bypasses, flyovers, vehicular underpasses (VUPs), which are being implemented to ensure enhancement of safety features. 
2. Special focus is being laid on improving geometry of the roads with the intent of removal of unsafe turns and curves while taking up new road projects.
3. One of the Concessionaires has used Robots for traffic diversion signaling during the road construction/ maintenance works, leading to no accidents at construction sites. The feasibility of replication of this use of technology by other contractors is being explored.
4. Construction of elevated sections is being taken up in respect of National Highways which pass through the urban/inhabited areas in a number of cases. Details of the specific projects/ expenditure incurred thereon are being collected.
5. All the Concessionaires are mandated to make provision for recovery vans, cranes and ambulances stationed at various Toll Plazas in order to address the ‘golden hour’ rescue management operation in the event of accidents.  The NHAI has now invited bids for ‘Total Incident Management Services’ in respect of two states of Rajasthan and UP as a pilot.
6. The use of effective technology solutions like ROMDAS & equivalent solutions have been introduced for monitoring the road conditions/ health of roads as part of the monitoring mechanism.
7. 100% of the lanes on 418 Toll Plazas managed by NHAI are being equipped with ETC systems, which is expected to be completed by 31.03.2018. Use of Fastags for efficient pass through the Toll Plazas is being enhanced. So far, more than 9.00 lakh Fastags have been issued.
8. Further, Information Technology (IT) enabled Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) is proposed to be implemented in the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE). The use of ITS envisages the use of Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) along-with Automated Tolling, Electronic Toll Collection and Video Detection as well as incident management system. ITS is expected to play a significant role in reducing congestion project enabling seamless traffic flow and enhancing safety.

This information is given by the Minister of State for Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways and Chemical & Fertilizers Shri Mansukh L Mandaviya in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

*****

NP/MS/MS