A month in the India Transport Sector

August, 2012

FOCUS: OVERLOADED TRUCKS

REASONS FOR OVERLOADING TRUCKS Profit is unarguably one of the most convincing of all reasons, especially for smaller transporters who operate their fleet on a very tight budget. More information on ITP

EDITORIAL
The major power outrages that came at the end of July have dramatically highlighted the weakness of Indian infrastructures. Should they be related to electricity or transportation (trains and metros were harshly delayed); India has not the means to fulfill its ambitions. Especially when it comes about safety as it has been shown by the Tamil Nadu Express fire that killed 37 peoples. Even more, it is sad to note that this kind of event do not astonish people since a long time. India cannot afford to continue with farce like an unmanned train engine covering 29 km from India to Nepal on Monday with no one on board because the driver forgot brakes before leaving. Setting up a High Speed Rail Corporation must not overshadow that Indian Railways are dangerous and out of date. India cannot be a modern train nation with its basis of fare revenue said Alstom President. Railways are still cash starving. That is why it has approached the Union Cabinet to submit Public Private Partnerships regarding carriage of goods (ports and mines connectivity). It is now time to invest in safety and to find money for passenger trains. There is plenty of work to do for a country that saw 2,000 deaths and 738 trains accidents in just five years. On this issue, some lessons should be learned from the NHAI that is unable to find bidders for its BOT projects: the sustainable development of a country is not only contingent to lucrativeness. That is the role of politicians. Well, that should be the role of politicians. Unfortunately after the Dinesh Trivedi departure that has turned into farce because he tried a touchy solution to raise funds by hiking fares including second class tickets, another political drama is playing. Mukul Roy has been accused by ally, the Congress, of abandoning his ministry and spending too much time in Kolkata for his party. Well, there is no dearth of committees and panel to review safety measures. Like for road safety, there is dearth of action. To give Rs 5 lakh for the kith and kin of the 37 peoples who died on the Tamil Nadu Express is not the kind of action that will settle this issue. Having the third largest railway network is not an excuse. It is an opportunity for a Greater India, a Modern India.

TRUCK OVERLOADING LOCALISATION Overloaded trucks can be seen everywhere on Indian roads, from trying to find a way through narrow city streets to cruising through the nations newly built highways. More information on ITP

TRUCK OVERLOADING AND RADIAL TYRES According to the Indian Tyre Industry Analysis from November 2011, the Indian tyre industry has witnessed formidable growth with radial tyres for trucks and busses emerging as a clear winner. More information on ITP

TRUCK OVERLOADING: HEAVY CONSEQUENCES Overloaded trucks drag their weight on the roads with complete disregard to the law and the safety of the citizens bearing serious consequences. More information on ITP

TRUCK OVERLOADING REGULATION The Honourable Supreme Court of India issued a ruling in November 2005 banning the movement of overloaded trucks on all roads. Prior to this judgment, there were no set rules related to the practice of overloading of freight vehicles in India. More information on ITP

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A month in the India Transport Sector

August, 2012

INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES
ROAD CONSTRUCTION: LATEST UPDATES Being an enormous country, accessibility to far flung areas and integration of markets is of critical importance for an uninterrupted growth of the economy. A well developed transport system is thus a vital prerequisite for the country. More information on ITP ROAD CONSTRUCTION FUNDING MECHANISMS With the worlds second largest road network under its kitty, road development plans in India definitely seem to be on the priority list of the government. Road construction is, indeed, viewed as the key infrastructural tool that will eventually pave the way for the countrys economic development. More informations on ITP ROAD CONSTRUCTION: THE PROCESS Road transportation is by far the most important form of transportation not just for accessibility and trading but for the economy of a region or country. India has made a determined effort to develop its infrastructure in a bid to sustain its economic growth. While it may seem easy on paper, building roads is a formidable task involving several central and state agencies. The process of road construction in India is suited to meet the diverse conditions and landscapes that the country encompasses. More informations on ITP LESSONS LEARNT IN U.S. AFTER 50 YEARS OF INTERSTATE HIGHWAY PROGRAM WOULD BE HELPFUL ARUN M. SHIROLE, FORMER ATPIO PRESIDENT Arun M. Shirol, P.E., President and CEO of S & A Shirole, Inc., has over 40 years of experience and is internationally well known for his engineering and management expertise in the areas of bridges and highways. He is former President of ATPIO (Association of Transportation Professionals of Indian Origin). More informations on ITP

TWO WHEELER
TWO WHEELERS ARE MEANT FOR TWO PEOPLE ONLY Travelling today is considered not a luxury but an essential requirement. Not all places have well developed public transport infrastructure and people therefore have to organise their own modes of transport. As cars can be expensive to some households, motorised two wheelers become an obvious choice. The adoption and use of two wheelers has grown rapidly and almost three quarters of registered vehicles in the country are motorised two wheelers. More information in ITP

TWO-WHEELERS MANAGEMENT

AND

TRAFFIC

Indian roads are marked by the ubiquitous presence of two-wheelers (motorbikes and scooters) which account for 60% of the countrys motorised vehicles. They offer easy and affordable mobility and with the rising price of petrol, their popularity is all set to increase further. Twowheelers, however, are also often involved in many road accidents. Last month in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, in a single day three people died as a result of twowheeler accidents. More information on ITP

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A month in the India Transport Sector AUTOMOTIVE PLAYERS STRATEGIES

RENAULT IN INDIA The growing consumerism and increasing number of potential buyers in the country is luring automobile manufacturers to claim and win shares of the swelling market. One of these many auto companies competing to gain a foothold in the Indian car market is Renault India, the Indian subsidiary of the premium French automobile manufacturer Renault. More information on ITP

August, 2012

WHEELS
HOW DO PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THE TREAD WEAR BAR IS? The tread of a tyre refers to the outer part of the tyre which is in direct contact with the surface of the road. Thus, it is the most vital indicator of the tyres condition. Whether or not the tyre needs replacement is dependent on the condition of the tread. To determine the wear and tear of the tread, tyres come with a tread wear bar. In a new tyre, this bar is not visible to the naked eye. Only when the tyre is worn out, and the tread wear bar is on par with the tread rib, can the indicator be seen. More information on ITP WHEELS CAN HAVE SEVERAL WIDTHS Once the power generated by the engine is transferred via the transmission system, it is the wheel that sets the car in motion. Thus, wheels are one of the most important parts of the vehicle and their widths largely determine the performance, stability as well as the handling of the car. In case of wheels, people go for different customisations and opt for various sizes with different widths. This is mainly done to improve the visual appearance of the vehicle as such changes can improve the overall look of the car and make increase its value. More information on ITP

PSA PEUGEOT CITRON IN INDIA Alliances between rival car manufacturers are not a new phenomenon in the global auto industry. There are several instances of such mergers, some successful, some less so. Thus the global strategic alliance between the French company PSA Peugeot Citroen and General Motors (GM), an American multinational auto brand earlier this year was no real surprise. More information on ITP

MARKET ENTRY STRATEGIES A study of the Indian auto industry today reveals a very marked and significant presence of global auto manufacturers. It is important to understand that the entry of foreign car makers into the country is not a recent phenomenon but one which can be traced back to the early 1990s. More information on ITP

OEM IN INDIA AND AROUND THE WORLD ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO REDUCE THE FUEL CONSUMPTION ROBERT MAINWARING, SHELL LUBRICANTS TECHNOLOGY MANAGER Robert Mainwaring is Shell Lubricants Technology Manager. He recently had a paper presented at an event in Pune Innovations in Fuel Economy and Sustainable Road Transport. More information on ITP

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Copyright India Transport Portal. Edited by Digital Bizzline Ltd. All rights reserved

A month in the India Transport Sector

August, 2012

ROAD SAFETY
DRINKING AND ACCIDENTS DRIVING LEADS TO INNUMERABLE

ADVERISE WITH US

Injuries and deaths caused by drunk drivers are completely preventable. Although there have been many measures taken worldwide against this, drink driving still presents a major concern. More information on ITP POOR LIGHTING ON INDIAN ROADS A BIG CONCERN Much to the dismay of the citizens, roads are also severely marked by the lack of adequate lighting. Poor lighting on Indian roads have accentuated the woes of the citizens by creating unsafe road conditions and heavily compromising road safety norms. More information on ITP ZEBRA CROSSING A RARE SIGHT There are various kinds of markings such as stop lines, zebra crossings, stripes on bumpers etc. to warn drivers and pedestrians of upcoming changes on the road. More information on ITP

More information on ITP

ABOUT US
Indian Transport Portal is an online news center covering the most critical industrial issues related to transport markets in India. India Transport Portal is edited by Digital Bizzline Ltd. a UK based press agency recently launched by a group of freelance journalists. Digital Bizzline Ltd. is registered at the Companies House UK: 07301455 contact@indiatransportportal.com

MEDIA PARTNER WITH

URBAN TRANSPORT CONFERENCE August 21 - 22, 2012 New Delhi HALT & PROCEED August 24 - 25, 2012 Bangalore TUNNELS & CONSTRUCTION UNDERGROUND

TRAFFIC ISSUE
PLACING OF BARRIERS ON NATIONAL HIGHWAYS SLOWS DOWN TRAFFIC There are a total of 268 barriers on the 4.42 million km of road network in India. According to records, the approximate revenue collection from these tolls was 5516.05 Crore in the 2010-2011 fiscal year. More information on ITP SHOULD FREIGHT VEHICLES BE ALLOWED ON THE ROADS DURING PEAK HOURS Recently, Chandigarh Traffic police carried out a trial which consisted of banning heavy vehicles including freight vehicles during peak hours. These vehicles were not allowed to drive from Panchkula to Chandigarh between 8 am and 10 pm. More information on ITP

September 12 - 14, 2012 New Delhi P LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN EVENTS December 7 9, 2012 Pune TYREXPO 2013 January 9 13, 2013 Chennai

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