‘Installation of ITS along NHA network direly needed’

Islamabad : Federal Minister for Communications Shahid Ashraf Tarar has said, that Intelligent Transport System (ITS) is the dire need of the hour for better and informed decision making along with creating ease for commuters, says a press release.

National Highway Authority (NHA) along with National Highways and Motorway Police and Ministry of Communications is collaborating to bring the best of the services and management for ensuring safe and sound traveling on motorways and national highways network. He was speaking during his visit to National Traffic Operations Centre on Wednesday, where a detailed briefing was given to him on functioning of the centre and installation of ITS all along entire network of National Highway Authority.

Senior officers of Ministry of Communications, National Highway Authority, NH&MW Police and National Traffic Operations Center were also present. Shahid Ashraf Tarar said, NHA is looking forward to use this technology on its road network for improving different functions. NHA is also developing architecture, standards for ITS for having standardization with cooperation of National Highways and Motorway Police and National Transport Research Centre. It was told in the briefing that ITS is a solution consisting of electronics, computers and communication network deployed on road network generating a wide range of engineering data to enhance safety, efficiency, management and other functions with reference to road network.

Presently NHA has installed systems on a few motorways including BOT projects and intends to adopt the same technology on other motorways. The upcoming projects will also have the ITS as a part of project scope. It was further told that live data is being collected from five motorways and fourteen national highways and operational weigh stations. Assisting systems have also been developed for monitoring of the bandwidth, gadget working status and power status.