NHAI eyes better traffic management system; Signs MoU with IRTE, IDC to promote road safety; Details here

To promote road safety as well as to collaborate in the areas of traffic management, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) with Institute for Road Traffic Education (IRTE) and Institute for Development and Communication in Chandigarh (IDC). Under the pact, IRTE will support the highway authority to improve the functional aspects of road geometrics as well as ensure that Traffic Control Devices conform to the standards of IRC to achieve free, efficient and rapid traffic flow, according to a PTI report. Through a programme named ‘Capacity building of Road Safety Management through Safe Systems Approach Programme’, the institutes will collaborate with the highway authority in the traffic management areas.

According to NHAI, IRTE will also support the authority as well as its associated agencies in conducting safety audit, traffic engineering surveys, developing as well as creating awareness programmes for schools, universities and the general public. Besides, development of a need-based data management system, as well as a methodology of collection and recording of data with reference to enforcement, accidents, traffic volumes, are also included in the MoU.

The highway authority further said that it will also help to create specialised training programmes, tools, systems of training as well as provide basic training, accident investigation, road safety audit, along with traffic management. IRTE will help the highway authority to develop as well as devise a strategy for coordination of traffic enforcement personnel along the NHs, conduct Road Traffic Violations (RTVs) study apart from other support.

While IDC will help the highway authority to mitigate environmental, social, and health risks to varied population, create strategies, particularly on road safety’s social aspects, including financial investments as well as social capital in road safety in order to enhance awareness of road conduct amongst various users, quantify the benefits from travel time reduction and material costs for the travellers.

For different programmes like safety improvement works, audit and research, road safety training, holding of seminars, workshops and meeting coordination with allied departments and stakeholders, NHAI will extend the required financial support, it said. Also, full support will be provided by NHAI to IRTE and IDC in terms of traffic information, data, according permissions, coordinating with other related departments to achieve improved traffic management across various NHs. According to NHAI, this arrangement will remain in effect for over two years’ duration and is expected to improve safety as well as efficiency of the traffic management system on NHs.