Civil Engineering Department of Institute of Technology has hosted a daylong symposium on ‘Intelligent Transportation System and its application in Civil Engineering’, at New Hall, Main Campus on 22nd December, 2017. Click here to see the pictures.

Scientific Director of Institute of Technology, Dr Alemayehu Chufamo, gracing program, termed the seminar on Intelligent Transportation System as perfectly timed for two reasons, first, he said, it combines classic knowledge with computer system and will intelligently solve problems. Secondly, it’s obligatory for those in the field of road and transport engineering to bring scientific solutions for alarmingly increasing rate of car accidents in Ethiopia.

Emphasizing further he said that smart students and staff will also immensely get benefited from such forums by articulating research topics and ideas so that they can formulate compelling proposals to investigate, analyze and resolve community problems.

The program began with seminar chief coordinator, Prof Raju Ramesh Reddy, introducing the chief guest, participants, students and others. Apprising audience with the objective, he said, transportation is important cog in the economic wheel; if one has a clear roadmap before kicking off the journey, half the goal is already achieved as ITS help remove all existing snarls.

Civil Department Head, Mr Gebrefilimona Abera, in his brief address lauded the efforts taken by staff and termed this initiative as remarkable; he urged them sustain it for other departments will follow the suit. He informed that GIS and GPS applications play sterling role in ITS; there is likelihood that such courses might find their way in civil engineering curriculum in near future.

Veteran academician, Prof R K Verma, in his key-note speech delving in the finer points of ITS said, it encompasses all modes of transportation – air, sea, road, rail and it intersects various components of each mode - vehicles, infrastructure, communication and operational systems. Ethiopia, in particular, has to develop strategies and techniques based on its geo-cultural, socio-economic and environmental background to integrate various components into inter-related system, he accentuated.

Prof Reddy on ‘ITS, ITS devices and application’, said, it’s to integrate individual transportation elements and club them through usage of information and communication technologies into a single system. It consists of four technologies i.e. sensing, communication, IT and Algorithms; it improves traffic, reduces congestion, environmental impact, pollution and bolsters economic activity. He also talked about devices utilized for it and answered associated queries.

AMU lecturer, Mr Lohit Havalagi, spoke on ‘ITS applications in public transportation system. Mr Gebrefilimona Abera dwelt upon GIS and GPS applications, while Mrs Durga and Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy expatiated upon ‘Parking facility using ITS’. Department staff members, students and others were in attendance.

(Corporate Communication Directorate)