Institute of Driving Training and Research

Overview

Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR) provides dynamic training to educate drivers about the right ways of driving. The institute works towards fulfilling its initiative of increasing “Road Safety" while driving as well as reducing the number of accidents happening due to untrained drivers. In the midst of 1990s, the number of accidents in Delhi was on a rise and the driving discipline and training was very weak. There was an indomitable need to develop a training facility to control the situation. Delhi experienced an exponential increase in the traffic as a result of the new urban sprawl. The traffic was getting faster and mixed leading to perilous conditions for the drivers. The commercial traffic was the major source of the problem at that time.

In order to gain control of the situation, the Supreme Court of India ordered a proper training system of commercial drivers,and under this act, the Institute of Driving Training and Research came into existence. It was a joint venture between the Department of Transport, Government of Delhi and Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. Delhi IDTR was developed with the objective to go on and set a benchmark in professional driver education and lay down the ground rules for safe driving. Driving training facilities and curriculum were designed to impart training for driving a gamut of vehicles ranging from cars, trucks, buses.

Concept

The first one in the country was at Loni, Delhi, and was built as a model project for many such upcoming institutes. The key specialty of the institute was the design of scientifically engineered practical training tracks, built to mimic all kinds of steering maneuvers and traffic situations; bends, turns, uphill, auction, signage, road marks, crossings along with world-class infrastructure facilities. Loni was followed by the one at Sarai Kale Khan, Delhi, which is situated in the city has to cater to domestic traffic like private car owners and light commercial vehicles having a completely different footprint leading to a new concept of design for the institute. The design concept evolved keeping in mind the emergence of Leeds certificated architecture back then, and overall sustainability of the project. It was a very interesting project with respect to site perspective. The site itself posed hard scenarios that were to be tackled with precision.

Design

LONI

The institute has two major sections, one is fieldwork and the other is the in classroom training. The fieldwork catered to live training on the driving tracks, which is combined with extensive classroom training to ensure drivers understand the rules. Driving simulators were brought in for the first time to get people training on computers before they get their hands on the vehicles.

The existing structure was reused to provide a foreground for all kinds of classroom activities. There are large seminar hall spaces to conduct larger level gathering and a central atrium connecting the building housing reception areas.

Here one on one professional training classes were conducted for two wheelers, four wheelers, and heavy vehicles.

SARAI KALE KHAN

Designed as a LEED gold rated project, on the eastern edge lied Delhi's Ring Road on a higher elevation. The entire site was reclaimed using fly ash backfilling which helped almost a rise of 3 mts in level.

Some aggressive rainwater harvesting measures were taken aiming for zero runoff. The buildings were pushed back making train track as forefront and offered a great view from Ring Road. Earth air tunnels for geothermal cooling were installed to substitute the ACs, drainage, and harvesting systems were designed for 100% harvesting, track lights were solar operated, and a solid waste management program was put in place for the campus.

ROHTAK

The challenges around limited space available for the design were overcome by carefully suggesting varied track design to enhance the driving experience. The tracks were designed to cater to the deviated control of heavy vehicles while driving. So accordingly the curve bends were at deeper angles so that the vehicles had extra area to maneuver into the rough patch without damaging the curves. A secondary level of track system was built along the primary road. Entire day facility setups were planned for short-term courses to be carried out in the campus.

As the demand in any conventional training setup, the design's focus was to cater to the population in need of functions like simulations and large classroom training, thus providing a holistic learning experience.

BAHADURGARH

The design has an amalgamation of two prominent aspects, one is the handling of the movement of heavy traffic and the other is to take care of the green factors of the building. Individual attention to every trainee was one of the imperatives for the institute, and the structure demanded facilities that can beneficially cater to the institute. The existing structure was reused to provide a foreground built for all kinds of classroom activities.

There are large seminar hall spaces to conduct larger level gatherings and a central atrium connecting the building housing the reception areas. For heavy vehicles, the tracks were redesigned with an extra area so that while taking the turns they do not damage the curved walls.