TrafficInfraTech Magazine Linking People Places & Progress
“Delta has commissioned an innovative video wall solution for Efkon’s Intelligent Traffic Management System at the Yamuna Expressway built by the Jaypee Group. The Video Walls in control rooms help to ensure a collaborative work environment to make better decisions and respond effectively in case of emergencies. Eventually it will be beneficial for commuters by way of safe and hassle-free travel, with rapid action and support,” said Hemant Agarwal, Senior Director – Displays, Delta India Electronics Pvt Ltd.
The complete stretch of the Expressway has been lined with metal beam crash barrier on both sides for safety of motorists, and wire fencing to ensure controlled access. For emergency response of any nature, the Expressway has designated teams on a 24/7 basis, equipped with specially designed vehicles. These vehicles are custom-built based on international standards and equipped with relevant tools for giving first level support to road users. The vehicles themselves will be monitored using a ‘Vehicle Tracking System’ and ‘Mobile Radio’ which will facilitate easy tracking and reliable communication.
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Why Concrete Pavement?
- Concrete roads have a long service life, need less or no maintenance and can easily last for 30 to 35 years whereas asphalt roads last for ten years.
- Water is not at all good for asphalt roads. If an asphalt road is continuously exposed to water, it will result in big potholes as is often evident during monsoon.
- Concrete pavements stay smoother for long. No ruts form in. Hence, vehicles don’t lose control and they don’t cause wet weather accidents.
- Studies show that concrete pavements, though initially expensive by 18 to 22% than asphalt pavements, cost 13-28% less in the long run than the cost of using and maintaining similar asphalt roads.
- A vehicle, when run over a concrete road, consumes 15-20% less fuel than on asphalt roads. This is because a concrete road does not get deflected under the wheels of loaded trucks.
- Concrete roads do not get damaged by the leaking oils from the vehicles or by the extreme weather conditions like excess rain or extreme heat.
- Concrete provides better and longer lasting skid resistance and is generally less slippery in wet weather.
- Greener process: Asphalt (bitumen) produces highly polluting gases when it is melted for the paving process.
- Less fuel consumption by the vehicle running on a concrete road means less pollution.
- Concrete (cement) is produced from abundantly available limestone.
- Concrete is completely recyclable.
- Concrete reflects sunlight instead of absorbing it.
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The Yamuna Expressway has three Main Toll Plazas (one each at Jewar, Mathura and Agra) capable of handling 32 lanes and extendable upto 52 lanes. Additionally, some Ramp Toll Plazas are also being constructed for the convenience of commuters. The Main Toll Plazas have been designed and equipped with a best-in class “Electronic Tolling System”. There are dedicated lanes for 2-wheelers and 4-wheelers. Each lane is equipped with RFID based Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system which allows non-stop passage for frequent users who buy pre-paid tags in advance. The RFID ETC System itself is based on the standards selected by the Indian government and therefore, is upgradable to integrate itself with a nation-wide ETC programme and clearing.
The other major facilities lined up for the Expressway users are round-the-clock Medical Centre with Consultancy Room at each Toll Plaza, fully equipped Medical Vans, Field Fuel Dispensing Units, Automobile Repair Shops, Public Conveniences and fuel filling stations.
The Expressway will serve the upcoming regional infrastructural developments in Greater Noida and Noida regions. It is strategically located to boost the social economic development of the major towns the Expressway passes through in districts like Gautam Budh Nagar, Aligarh, Mathura and Agra. The development envisaged along the alignment includes the proposed Taj economic zone, Taj International Airport hub and ribbon development on about 2,500ha of land including five integrated townships between Noida and Agra with commercial, institutional, residential and recreational developments. Buddh International Race Circuit, India’s first Formula One race track, has already triggered the development of the area.
In spite of the sporadic agitations by the local inhabitants who feel their movements have been curtailed by the Expressway or by the farmers who claim justice has been denied to them while compensating for their land acquired for the project, both – the Chief Minister of U P, Akhilesh Yadav and Chairman, Jaypee Group, Manoj Gaur – are optimistic about the importance of the Expressway in boosting the overall growth and all-round progress of the region as well as possible extension of the Expressway till Lucknow.
Focus needed on Bullnose Barriers: Yuvraj Singh Ahuja
Frontier Polymers Pvt Ltd, the manufacturers of moulded road barriers, has suppl
ied road safety products to Yamuna Expressway. The products include Traffic Cones, Water Filled Barriers and Bullnose Barriers. “The focus needs to be on Bullnose barriers as these absorb the crash in terms of head-on collision at toll plazas and help in preventing the lives of the driver, occupants and even the toll booth operators,” says Yuvraj Singh Ahuja, Director of Frontier Polymers.
“Frontier Road Safety products can also be seen on most of the new 4-6 lane highways and highways operated by L&T, Soma Isolux, IL&FS, Jaypee Infra, Reliance Infra, etc.” Frontier is providing traffic solutions to large parking lots in airports, temples and malls as well. “Our products are used to warn and assist vehicles for better and easy parking as well as streamlining of in and out traffic” adds Ahuja.
