Tune in to TV and steer past that jam

NEW DELHI: Don’t let traffic jams ruin your plans anymore. The government is planning to set up transport information centres (TICs) in mega cities of the country which will have real time information on road blocks, traffic jams, parking spaces and alternative routes you can take to avoid blockades.

All you need to do is to check your local cable channel or website before leaving for your destination. After its initial test run in different cities, global positioning and remote sensing (GPRS), GSM or RFID technology are proposed to be used in cars and for guiding them through traffic jams and suggesting alternative routes.

This will be done through a mini-screen in the car or the mobile phone. While installing mini-screens may take some time as participation from the auto-industry is required for mini-screens, TICs are likely to become a reality in a year’s time, according to sources.

The project is being done with the co-operation of the European Union in India through the Association for Intelligent Transport System (AITS). Projects in various cities will be taken up on a public private partnership (PPP) model. The project is to be spearheaded by the urban transport informatic centre under the ministry of urban development, according to sources.

As the initial investment is high, the project will first be taken on a pilot basis in the metros. The TICs will also collect information on seasonal and daily patterns of traffic and road congestion, which will all be put on the website for the particular city or town concerned.

The site will also give information on road repairs, construction or repair activity that may hamper traffic movement. The urban development ministry has also indicated that it will participate in the World Congress and Exhibition on intelligent transport system to be held in London this year where various stakeholders like European Commission and ERTICO (Brussels-based intelligent transport and services provider).

This will help in choosing newer and cheaper technologies used in various countries of Europe. The AITS has also suggested the creation of an emergency management system, a holistic digital mapping system and centres of excellence for training and education.

However, the ministry is working on the proposal of TICs to develop an effective transport management system especially in congested cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.