Hyderabad: Telangana transport and BC welfare minister Ponnam Prabhakar in a written to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has requested central assistance for a number of key initiatives for enhancing road safety, training infrastructure, and the use of electric vehicles in the state.
In his letter, Prabhakar pointed out Telangana’s continued efforts towards modernizing the transport sector through the implementation of digital applications such as VAHAN and SARATHI, AI-based traffic management systems, vehicle scrapping facilities, and road safety awareness programs.
IDTR near Hyderabad
The minister made a strong case for the opening of a second Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR) at a place close to Hyderabad to cater to increasing demand in the urban area. While there is already one IDTR at Sircilla, its location in a remote area makes it inaccessible to city folks. Prabhakar highlighted that Telangana with more than four crore inhabitants and nearly 1.72 crore registered vehicles has a significant gap in trained commercial drivers.
The state has marked out 40 acres of government land in Dundigal, on the outskirts of Hyderabad, for the proposed IDTR and is requesting central clearance for the same.
AI based transport management system
One other significant proposal involves the establishment of an AI-based Integrated Intelligent Transport Management System (IITMS) to boost road safety via real-time traffic violation detection and automatic e-challan issuing. The state has sought Rs 55 crore central funds for installing the IITMS and giving enforcement officers smart tools.
Prabhakar also appealed to the Centre to disburse Rs 176.5 crore under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme. He pointed out that Telangana had achieved major milestones under the Vehicle Scrapping Policy and Automated Testing Stations scheme but had not been given the sanctioned amount in the previous fiscal year.
Further, the minister asked for Ra 43.45 crore to automate 57 driving test tracks in the state, which issue close to five lakh licenses every year.
The minister stressed Telangana’s commitment towards encouraging electric vehicles by providing 100 percent waivers on road tax and registration fees and building EV charging infrastructure.
The proposals, he added, would enhance the state’s transport ecosystem and road safety for all citizens.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Syeda Faiza Kirmani | 
