In an effort to establish an effective bilateral relationship of communication and cooperation in the road transportation, logistics, Intelligent Transport System (ITS) and green mobility sector, the first meeting of the India-Russia Working Group on Roads and ITS was held in the national Capital on Wednesday.

The working group was established under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation on Bilateral Cooperation in the Road Transport and Road Industry in September 2021.  The meeting was co-chaired by Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary MoRTH and Dmitry Bakanov, Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation.   The deliberations during the meeting showcased the various initiatives taken by both the countries related to intelligent transport systems, green mobility, road safety, technology implementation in the road transport and highways sector. “The discussions held paved the way for prolonged collaboration between India and Russia for implementation of digital technology enabled ITS services in road transportation development,” said a senior road ministry official.

“Both the countries will benefit from mutual cooperation in the field. Increased co-operation, exchange and collaboration with Russia will contribute to establishing a long-term and effective bilateral relationship of communication and cooperation in road transportation and road industry and Intelligent Transport System (ITS),” added the official. The outcome will also help in planning and administration of road infrastructure and road network management, transport policy, technologies and standards for the construction and operation of highways in the country and will further go a long way in strengthening ties and bilateral relations between India and Russia.

As per the MoU earlier, Russia has developed technological solutions for satellite-based tolling solutions. Similarly, they have also adopted advanced intelligent traffic management systems, including crash reporting/monitoring systems.

“Considering Russia’s proven experience in the adoption of technology in the road transport sector, it would be beneficial to learn from such best practices through close interaction.

India is implementing at a rapid pace its highway infrastructure augmentation plans. To make full use of the road infrastructure it is necessary to embrace technology to enhance transport productivity and safety,” the statement of the MoU mentioned.