15.7.04
Road Traffic and Infrastructure Management
In India
about 100 MT of oil products are used annually as fuel. About 2/3rd of oil requirement of
the country is met by imports at a staggering cost of about Rs. 80,000
crores. 50% of petroleum products are
used in transport sector. It’s
therefore absolutely essential that not a drop of oil be wasted.
CRRI
Study:
With the
ultimate aim of reduction of fuel loss on roads, in the year-1996, PCRA entrusted to Central Road
Research Institute (CRRI) conduct of a study on the loss of petroleum products
due to idling of vehicles at road intersections in Delhi. The study revealed
that around three lakh litres of petrol and one lakh litres of diesel get
wasted at 466 intersections in Delhi.
As a result
of follow up of this study sponsored by PCRA; reverse timers at certain
traffic intersections in Delhi were installed. These timers help the drivers to
take decision about switching off engines at red light. Apart from this; study
also recommended for adequate provisions of free left turns; synchronization of
traffic signals, optimization of signal cycle timings and construction of
flyovers at high volume and priority intersections. Several of these
recommendation have been implemented.
This
study, gave some new directions for better traffic management in Delhi. In
fact, this study has been referred to several times in different meetings,
seminars and workshops etc. of Govt. of India and other organizations.
Since 1996, volume of traffic has
increased many times. Congestion on roads has increased many folds. Several spots have become almost dead spots
for traffic, that is, once a vehicle is into it, it is difficult to predict
when it will be able to travel out of it & after wasting how much of fuel.
Vehicle technology has also undergone substantial change.
Hence, it is
considered imperative to conduct such study afresh. In 2003-04, PCRA has
sponsored two projects on CRRI to study the traffic pattern and fuel loss due
to traffic jams and idling of vehicles in Delhi & in and around highly congested area of Paharganj in Delhi. Area
around Paharganj is representative of
many such congested spots in Delhi. CRRI has been asked to work out &
suggest short term as well as long-term remedial measures to counter the problem.
Before putting down final
suggestions for easy traffic flow; CRRI as a part of project shall look into
ongoing projects in-place e.g. by MRTC, PWD and MCD etc. so that the
recommendations are in synergy with other agencies working in this direction.
To achieve this synergy; PCRA called a joint meeting of MCD, DDA, CRRI, PWD,
and Delhi Traffic Police in March, 2004 so as to exchange information, views
& suggestions to make studies by CRRI more useful & implementable.
In 2003-04
PCRA constituted an Advisory Committee on Transport Sector to review latest
developments in transport sector, explore possible potential areas of fuel
savings and draw out action plan for PCRA to facilitate the possible saving;
The committee consists senior officials from Ministry of Surface Transport,
Automobile Associations, Pollution Control Boards, Engineering colleges, Oil
companies & Research Organizations. In its first meeting in Sept. 03, the
issues related to Rapid Mass Transport System, Efficiency Improvement of
vehicles, development of subways, flyovers, bypasses, expressways, carpooling,
pollution due to vehicular emissions were discussed & action plan was
worked out. This committee will help PCRA to work in synergy with other organizations.
In 2003-04; PCRA also sponsored a project on IIT, Delhi for usage of waste
plastic in bitumen by emulsion formation. Emulsion of waste plastic & bitumen would result into more durable
roads. This would be a cold process &
thus pollution free & accident free.
It would also save petroleum products & help in waste disposal.
Railway Over and Under Bridges:
Several decades ago, railway lines were built in and around Delhi
keeping in view the then population densitites in various parts. In those days not many vehicles had to cross
railway line every day. Now with
incessant increase in spread of population in Delhi in areas which until a few
years ago were uninhabited, development of new colonies on both sides of
railway lines & explosion in vehicle population, no. of vehicle that need
to cross railway lines daily, twice, in rush hours, has increased beyond all
imagination. Most of the roads in Delhi are heavily congested. Particularly
during office timings; vehicles run almost bumper-to-bumper. Roads in Delhi,
are being developed in such a way that they skirt around the railway lines taking longer routes through an existing
Railway Over Bridge (RoB) or Railway Under Bridge (RuB). Although, many
flyovers on roads are being built to facilitate smooth traffic movement across
Delhi and they are indeed helpful; yet they can’t meet the essential
requirement of crossing a railway line.
Now RoBs and RuBs are urgently required. Out of 15 flyovers constructed
by PWD in Delhi till 2003, only one is RoB (at Okhla), and out of six and five
flyovers completed by DDA and DTTDC respectively, none is RoB/RuB. RuBs at
Tilak and Minto Bridges are good examples of the mesures taken more than 50
years ago to deal with the traffic volumes that existed then. They
eased the traffic congestion to a great extent. Today Delhi is again in urgent need of many
more RoBs/RuBs. Several important railway lines e.g. Western, Central and
Northern railway lines cross Delhi at different sections. Human as well as vehicle population has
grown all around them. Hence RoBs & RuBs are essentially required for going
from one side of railway line to other side & proper traffic flow.
To facilitate construction of RoBs &
RuBs, PCRA has sponsored another project on CRRI in 2003-2004 to identify
places where such RoBs/RuBs are most required, feasible & cost economics
thereof. CRRI shall carry out study in close association with other agencies
working in this area like MCD, Indian Railways etc.
Traffic Synchronization:
In the recommendations of CRRI study, done
on behalf of PCRA in 1996; traffic synchronization had been given much
importance. Sequential system of synchronized traffic lights (SSTL) means that
traffic lights are programmed to turn green when the traffic reaches the
intersection from earlier intersections, thus allowing for continuous flow
through the intersection(s). This system successfully does what would have been
done; had there been "mini flyovers" at each intersection. It works
far more efficiently; traffic flows continuously through all the intersections
& not merely through the flyover intersection. The technology solutions
that have been developed around the world for synchronization include the
following:
o
Installation of vehicle actuated traffic signals
o
Optimization of signal timings
o
Coordination on important routes.
As
part of projects sponsored by PCRA, CRRI shall suggest solutions to reduce
traffic congestion resulting fuel wastages & cost economics thereof. Thus location where traffic synchronization
is required shall get identified.
Methodology required for synchronization shall also be identified
subsequently.
Reverse Counters:
The information system for traffic control plays an
important role in its management. In advanced countries various high
technologies at huge expense are employed to provide drivers with real time
information. Such technologies are yet
to be used in India. High cost is major
deterrent.
Perhaps the first and simplest information system installed
at Delhi with the initiative from PCRA study is the Reverse Timers at
intersections which tell the drivers about balance time for which the signal
would remain Red or Green. These
reverse timers facilitate drivers to stop their engines at red lights, help
them in crossing red lights smoothly & thus promote fuel conservation, reduce pollution & safe
driving.
In 2003-04; PCRA, has sponsored on Delhi Traffic Police,
installation of 50 such reverse counters at crowded traffic intersections in
Delhi.
Speed
Breakers:
Speed Breakers of varying sizes & styles are a
normal sight on Indian roads. Most of them do not follow the required
specifications i.e. Indian Road Congress (IRC) specifications. The commuter are
sitting targets for fractures when vehicles pass through such speed breakers.
Sudden brakes, excessively slow speed, damage to the vehicle result in fuel
loss as well as unsafe travel.
According to IRC
specifications, the width of a speed-breaker should be 370 cm or 12 ft 2
inches. The height of the breaker should be 10 cm. Roads should carry boards
warning drivers that there are speed-breakers ahead. The speed- breakers should
be visibly painted. If followed, these guidelines will help a great deal in
fuel conservation & making travel safe.
In our weekly TV program
“Khel Khel Mein Badlo Duniya” and radio program “Boond Boond Ki Baat” these
issues were taken up during 2003-04 so as to educate people about necessity
& methodology to build speed breakers correctly, if they do on their own in
their respectively colonies. People at
large have also been encouraged to take up such issues related to their
colonies with appropriate authorities.
In our monthly Hindi
Magazine ‘Sanrakshan Chetna’ the issues related to Zebra Crossing, median and
sideway railings on Delhi roads were also covered for mass awareness. These aspects of road engineering also help
in smooth flow of traffic.