#developmentofroadwaysinindia

Where there is the confluence of thoughts and ideas there will be an opportunity for the required parties to assimilate some of the ideas. The 4th Annual Roads and Highways Meet, which is going to happen from 9th – 11th April 2018 at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel in Singapore, will witness discussions, dialogues laden with solutions that can present altogether a different perspective on the roadways and transportation sector. Mr. Akhilesh Srivastava, who is CGM of IT and Highway operations in NHAI, is scheduled to address this meet on 11th April.

Mr. Akhilesh Srivastava, who is known better for his project executing skills, is going to speak on One Belt One Road implications and Modernisation of Indian Highways. The meet is jointly organised by Marcus Evans and International Road Federation (IRF), Geneva (Switzerland). This meet is primarily focused on realising innovative ideas and solutions in the roadways.

Many public, as well as private organisations, are hungry for tech-led innovations to fight for the pressing problems. Without a supportive and innovative workforce, it would be difficult for any organisation to survive the odds as the days ahead are subject to drastic technological changes. So, there should be an embracing environment which can absorb the right technology and improve the pace of development. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which is an autonomous body under Government of India, has been one of the leading sectors, which invite technological advancements with open arms. So, it is coming up with tech-based solutions that are leaving happiness to commuters as well truckers. Mr. Akhilesh Srivastava, who has been leading the highway operations division for a quite long time, has been instrumental in the successful execution of the FASTag project and implementing the Wayside Amenities Project.

The FASTag project, also known as Electronic Toll Collection project, is considered to be the landmark project in the history of Highways in India. FASTags are Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Tags and are helping the NHAI in decongesting at Toll Plazas and fetching the data pertaining to the traffic of Highways.

Wayside Amenities project is first of its kind in India. It is one of the largest projects that are developing under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. Through this project, the NHAI is going to address the needs of Highways’ commuters by establishing commuter-friendly facilities alongside national highways.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has delegated its Chief General Manager (CGM) and winner of the 2018 CIDC Vishwakarma lifetime-achievement award, Akhilesh Srivastava, to participate as a panellist in the 4th Annual Roads & Highways Forum in Singapore. The Forum will be held from April 9th, 2018 to April 11th, 2018 at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel.

Jointly organized by the International Road Federation (Geneva) and Marcus Evans Group, the conclave will discuss topics such road design and development, road sustainability and safety, Intelligent Transport Systems to improve traffic management, tolling to bridge the funding gaps, financing alternatives, engineering and asset management, among others.

Twenty-plus key stakeholders in the roads and highways sector will expound the milestones achieved by their respective countries in road infrastructure, their impact on trade relations and economy of those countries, and the challenges involved.

The schedule of the forum is charted into plenary sessions, panel discussions, industrial tours, keynote presentations and discussions, and case studies and key international presentations.

CGM Akhilesh Srivastava, the delegate from India, will deliver a key presentation on the NHAI’s highways modernization cluster project. He, along with two other panellists, also will discuss the impact of China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative on Asia.

The highways initiative undertaken by the CGM  involves several distinct subprojects including Wayside Amenities (WSA), Electronic Toll Collection (ETC), Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS), Road Asset Management System (RAMS), and UAVs and LiDARs for highway project management.

Brief Insight into the Modernisation:

The ongoing WSA subproject is providing highway motorists with advanced civic amenities on national highways. ETCs are being installed at Toll gantries on national highways to digitalize and automate toll transactions. The ATMS uses advanced technology to monitor highway traffic and provide emergency services to mitigate all kinds of highways mishaps and accidents.

The RAMS acts as a central database to retrieve, analyze, store, and process all highway-related data. UAVs and LiDARs have been deployed to monitor and regulate highway projects and prepare DPRs for those projects, and help the ATMs and the RAMS gather and process data.

The NHAI CGM – along with a high-ranking delegate from World Bank global infrastructure facility in Singapore and one from Korean Development Bank – will talk about the impact China’s OBOR project will have on Asia.

The OBOR initiative is China’s proposed intercontinental roadway and maritime trade network that aims to connect Eurasian nations and revive the erstwhile Silk Road. CGM Mr. Akhilesh Srivastava and his co-speakers will present their assessment of the impact the proposed network will have on the continent.

Other notable topics the 20-plus stakeholders will present and discuss on include China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), latest tolling technologies, Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), autonomous roads and vehicles, resolving challenges ahead of PPP projects, latest pavement technologies, future vehicular technology, advanced road safety, Road Asset Management System (RAMS), and much more.