Tune into FM radio to get updates on NH-8 traffic

Here's good news for commuters on NH-8. You can now tune into All India Radio's FM Gold channel to get regular traffic updates between Delhi and Jaipur.The Union ministry of road transport and highways has recently launched the highway advisory services to provide traffic updates, including information on accidents and diversions, to motorists on the 261-km stretch Delhi-Jaipur Highway as well as help the highways marshalls to keep the high-speed corridor clear.

In fact, the traffic details are being aired every half an hour on FM Gold between 7am and 11pm as part of the pilot project. Earlier, the information was aired on an hourly basis, but the frequency of the broadcasts has been increased due to a successful dry run, sources told TOI on Wednesday.

The system works in a very systematic way - the concessionaire, Millennium City Expressways Pvt. Ltd. (MCEPL), gathers traffic information by monitoring the expressway from its control room through CCTV cameras and by patrolling. It then sends the information to the ministry by filling a template that has all the necessary queries. Commuters, too, can inform the concessionaire in case they notice some disruption on the route by calling on highways helpline number 9311188850.

The traffic updates include details of the vehicle flow, including whether the movement is smooth ahead, or if there are any jams, updates about which route to avoid due to heavy traffic or any vehicle breakdown on the carriageway and service lanes, and suggestions on any alternative route that can be taken."Over two lakh people commute between Delhi and Jaipur every day, while lakhs use NH-8 daily. A snarl of even a few minutes can create kilometres-long tailbacks. So, if people have information on time, they can probably take a detour and reach their destination on time. ," said Naveen Yadav, manager, public relations at MCEPL.

Forwarded By: Jainender Nigam,prasarbharati.newsdesk@gmail.com