Page 44 - TrafficInfraTech Magazine - Linking People Places & Progres

INFRASTRUCTURE

The Roads Ahead

Though technology has transformed the business
landscape of many sectors, our roadways have not
kept up the pace of development. Globally, billions
of dollars are spent on designing energy-efficient,
future-ready vehicles. But, we are yet to witness a
real revolution in highway and road construction
technologies. Akhilesh Srivastava, Chief General
Manager, T/IT & Highway Operation, National
Highways Authority of India, examines how the roads
of the future would look like and why there is a need
for change.

oads are more than the
underlying framework
to transport people and
goods from Point to Point.
RIndia had built a total of
34,000 km of national highways since
Independence up to 1991. This grew
to 58,000 km in 2001. By 2019, the
NHAI had added further 81,000 km of
national highways with average 29 Km
construction per day in last six years.
Report indicate that the world’s
vehicle count will grow by 3% every
year until 2030. These vehicles will be
used majorly in megacities, as 75% of
the total global population will live in
cities by 2050.
So, how will we cope with this surge
in vehicular traffic? The answer lies in –
Technology. Just like our cities, our roads
will get smart in the coming years. Let’s
take a look at some of the predictions
regarding the future of highways. Some
of these projects are currently in the
prototype stage, whereas others are still
in the initial stages of planning.

44 April-May 2020 / TrafficInfraTech www.trafficinfratech-com-500653.hostingersite.com