Showing posts with label toll-free delhi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label toll-free delhi. Show all posts

Sunday, February 09, 2014

I wish 7. Sloped toll-booth roads

I wish the roads leading to toll-booths at toll-plazas would by design be inclined at say 15 degrees. The slope (and suitable awareness drives) would enable folks to just switch off their engines and use their brakes to cruise in to the toll booths, pay up, fire their engines and zoom off!

Now, I know a few toll-plazas in India are pretty crowded and some people get stuck for upto half an hour, in bumper to bumper traffic, just to reach the booth and pay the toll. In a toll booth close to where I am, there are 16 lanes each in either direction and at peak traffic time, atleast 20 cars crawling in each. On an average, lets assume 15 minutes queue time. That's 32 cars x 15 mins worth fuel wasted every minute. Not getting into the exact math here (it would be great if someone could fill in here :), but I guess that would result in significant fuel savings, not to mention the value of time saved, headaches avoided and pollution reduced!


I know the ideal solution would be to not have the toll-booth itself or to be able to bill cars as they simply travel, but that's some time off in the future. Till then?

The 'I wish' series will be short posts highlighting simple, interesting, innovative and useful twists to daily random routines and objects. 

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Delhi on Phone

What if you just stepped out on the road and wanted to find a good Punjabi restaurant at Delhi without spending a paise?
Google lab says (yes its google, again) :

Dial from any phone
1-800-41-999-999
(toll free)

And it will even SMS you back the info! So does that mean good-bye Just-Dial? - perhaps the only other 'known' but un-free option? - Would love hear someone opine more on this.

Now, what if just stepped out on the road and wanted to find the best road route (Delhi) from Nehru Place to the International Airport? (note: this is an un-free option) Thats where RouteGuru helps

SMS from your mobile
rg Source to Destination

eg: rg Nehru Place to International Airport
56767
(not toll free)



There's something more you get gratis with routeguru- the estimated auto fare. So, make sure the auto guys don't take you for a ride :).