About 16 km-road stretch — equipped with latest traffic and junction management gadgets, traffic control systems and lane violation check cameras — will be created connecting India Gate, Ashram and Badarpur border. The stretch, which is a part of the National Highway-2, will be developed by the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) under on-going ‘Integrated road safety initiative’ in India.
Australian Trade Commissioner Dr Grayson Perry and International Road Federation (IRF) Chairman Dr KK Kapila signed an MoU to this effect. “We want to share knowledge, best practices, exchange ideas and offer Australian expertise and technology to improve road safety in India and support the Government and State Governments,” said Dr Perry.
“This stretch between India Gate and Badarpur is slated to be among country’s finest road’s designed for smooth movement of traffic and safe mobility,” said Dr Kapila. “As per our agreement, Austrade will develop this demonstration stretch by providing and installing junction management gadgets, speed measurement devices, electronic message sign boards, lane violation check cameras linked with mini control systems for appropriate monitoring of traffic on this stretch,” he said.
Neither IRF nor Austrade were willing to divulge the expenses involved in building the stretch. Although the Centre has no direct role in this agreement, officials said that depending on the success of this programme, they may replicate it on other stretches in the future. “This is indeed an important initiative undertaken by Austrade and IRF. India accounts for at least 1.3 lakh deaths in road accident annually, which is not acceptable. This is at least 10 per cent of all global road accident deaths,” said Vijay Chhibber, secretary, Ministry of Roads, Transport and Highways.
“The Government is mulling on establishing the national road safety and management system-an apex body to address all road safety related issues in the country. We should have it in place by the end of this year,” he said. Chhibber also said that the new transport and safety Bill, will be presented in the Budget session. He expressed hope that the passage of this Bill will also push the Government’s aim to bring in added safety on roads, by way of stricter checks on issuance of driving licenses and higher penalties for traffic violations.