Although highways are the backbone of the world’s transportation system, thousands of lives and billions of rupees are lost each year because of accidents and traffic congestion. New security initiatives add to each transportation agency’s burden as it strives to make travel and trade safe and efficient.
 
The automobile boom has resulted in causing problems over the years. With a phenomenal rise in the number of vehicles, cities have become clogged everywhere. It has become a huge challenge to decongest them with an effective mechanism. Several big cities like London and Singapore have taken initiatives like introducing time-of-day charges depending upon the timing of their entry to regulate traffic and control congestion in the cities.

The automobile boom has also caused problems for the governments in terms of revenue collection through parking, bridges and e-way tolls because of inherent loop holes in the system. The governments are simply not aware about the exact revenue being generated through them. There is another problem of monitoring of entry of vehicles into certain areas and roads and implementing zone regulations for heavy vehicles like trucks in peak hours. All these factors make it imperative for finding a solution through modern technology that can effectively address these issues.
 
There are highly reliable IP-based smart card reader networks such as the one being offered by Cisco that can work across large distances in moving vehicles, integrated with IP-based cameras to catch defaulters/violators. This also needs fast database access and a good data center. Cisco’s technology enables authorities to efficiently collect, analyze, distribute, and act upon highway information. Its systems can distribute traffic information to travellers, help authorities manage traffic, and provide the communication tools that agencies need to more efficiently respond to emergencies and accidents. These systems can also deliver the information and support necessary to promote greater collaboration both inside and outside transportation agencies, and facilitate better and more efficient long-range planning.

The Cisco solution includes advanced traffic management solutions, traffic management centers, and advanced traveller information systems. This multiservice network enables more efficient and cost-effective operations when consolidated over a converged network.

An integrated transport infrastructure has acted as a huge boost for the development of the single market in Europe, reducing business costs and improving the quality of life of its citizens. Its Road Transport Telematics (RTT) offers tools for better traffic management, vehicle navigation and toll collection. However, RTT applications must be able to operate across the European road network across more than one country.

A similar technology could be adopted by a vast country like India to make its transport network smooth paving the way not only for improved collection of revenue but also for decongesting its cities which appear to be gasping on their roads.