The October 23, session on “ Setting the Vision for Future- Ready ITS in India at Smart Mobility India Conference, organised by ITS India in collaboration with TrafficInfraTech, began with a Welcome Address by Akhilesh Srivastava, President of ITS India Forum, who outlined India’s ambitions to become a global leader in ITS. Prof. K.K. Aggarwal, President of South Asian University (SAU), established by SAARC nations, delivered the Special Guest of Honour Address, emphasizing the role of intelligent technologies in revolutionizing transportation systems across SAARC countries. He encouraged collaboration between India and its neighboring nations to advance ITS research and education. Akio Yamamoto, Secretary General - ITS Asia Pacific, Takehiko Barada, President ITS Japan, B N Puri, Director AITD, Mythili Menon, Project Officer, ITU Geneva, R. Shakya, Addl. Director General, DoT, Sunil, President IETE graced the occasion with insights into ITS.
To further this goal, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between ITS India Forum and South Asian University (SAU). The MoU aims to bridge the skill gap in ITS and promote research, innovation, and sustainable transportation solutions. The agreement will foster collaboration on key initiatives, including capacity building, joint research programs, and establishing a Centre of Excellence focused on ITS.
The MoU was signed by Dr. Shiv Kumar, Director General of ITS India Forum, and Professor Pooran Chandra Pandey, Director of the Centre of Excellence on Climate Change, Green Transition, and Sustainability at SAU. Both parties stressed the transformative potential of ITS in addressing traffic congestion and enabling environmentally sustainable urban mobility.
Another milestone was achieved by signing a MoU between the ITS India Forum and Geospatial World at their Noida office on 22 October 2024. This collaboration focuses on leveraging geospatial technologies to improve transportation efficiency and sustainability across India. The MoU was signed by Mr Sanjay Kumar, CEO, Geospatial World and Mr Akhilesh Srivastava, President, ITS India Forum.
The technical sessions provided valuable insights into ITS advancements:
1. Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS): Clarissa from iOmniscient (Australia) presented innovative AI-based optimization solutions. Harsh Nisar from NHAI addressed challenges in scaling ATMS to meet India’s increasing demand for traffic management.
2.Intelligent Camera Systems: Industry leaders, including Prashant Oberai (Norden), Sanjeev Sehgal (Sparsh), and Dr. Jayant Ratti (Nayan Technologies), demonstrated the critical role of AI-powered cameras in enhancing urban mobility and safety.
3.GNSS: Future of Tolling: Chaired by Akhilesh Srivastava, this session had global leaders such as Akash Sinha, Peter Kozej (SkyToll), and Anshuman Roy (Rosematra) discussing satellite-based tolling systems. Ashish Bhutani and Shreedhar provided insights into High-Speed Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) technologies.
4.Urban Mobility Solutions: Focused on tackling urban congestion, this session featured presentations by Rajesh Krishnan (ITSPE) and Aditya Thapliyal (Idea Forge Technology) on emerging solutions for Indian cities. Fabian Seelinger, Yunex Traffic exposed to Singapore Smart Traffic Management.
5.Multimodal Transport & Logistics: Case studies presented by Jehaan Kotwal and Navdeep of Envoys showcased how advanced technologies are transforming logistics and supply chain management.
6. Green Corridors for Ambulances: In a cutting-edge demonstration, Rituraj Srivastava, Chief Strategy Officer of Danlaw Technologies, highlighted how CV2X technology creates green corridors for ambulances, improving emergency response times in Bengaluru.
The conference set a strong vision for India’s future in ITS. In his address, Akhilesh Srivastava stressed the ITS India Forum’s commitment to addressing the critical challenges of safety, affordability, sustainability, and urban congestion.
Dr. Pooran Chandra Pandey elaborated that the collaboration will soon enter its execution phase, creating avenues for higher education programs and industry-driven research.
South Asian University (SAU) is an international university established in 2010 under the auspices of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Jointly funded and governed by the eight SAARC member states – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. SAU aims to foster regional cooperation and enhance South Asia’s academic and research capacity. Located in New Delhi, India, the university offers a range of postgraduate and doctoral programs, focusing on areas critical to the region’s socio-economic development, including sustainability, climate change, and international relations. SAU is pivotal in promoting regional research, innovation, and cross-cultural learning.
Geospatial World is a leading global organization dedicated to advancing sustainability and innovation through geospatial technologies. With over 27 years of experience, the company operates in multiple sectors, providing actionable insights and empowering decision-makers with critical data for informed decision-making. It has been instrumental in promoting geospatial information systems (GIS) to improve infrastructure and sustainable development to enhance urban mobility solutions worldwide.
ITS India Forum: The ITS India Industry Growth Forum, registered as a non-profit organization in 2023, is dedicated to promoting Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in India. As a think tank, it focuses on policy advocacy, research, and innovation in the transportation sector. Through various initiatives such as webinars, workshops, and research projects, the forum aims to bridge the skills gap in ITS and enhance urban mobility and sustainability in transportation.
