The Times of India 10.03.2011
NMC starts demolition drive against speed breakers
NAGPUR: Responding to a public interest litigation over speed breakers that flout norms laid down by the Indian Roads Congress
(IRC), the traffic department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has
issued directives to the zonal offices to raze all illegal speed bumps.
A senior traffic official from NMC told TOI that there are over a 1,000 speed breakers constructed over the 2,117km of NMC roads. Of these, only 109 speed breakers have been constructed as per IRC norms, while the rest are illegal, said the officer.
The officer clarified that city engineer SS Gaikwad has issued directives to demolish the illegal road dividers. "Subsequently, we have issued directives to respective zonal officers to demolish the speed breakers constructed illegally," said the officer. According to the officer, zone one (Laxmi Nagar) has 36 speed breakers constructed by the NMC.
As per the survey, the corporation had erected six speed breakers in Dharampeth zone, two in Hanuman Nagar, six in Dhantoli, five in Nehru Nagar, 15 in Satranjipura, six in Lakadganj, eight in Asinagar and 25 in Mangalwari. Interestingly, there is no speed bump in Gandhibagh zone.
The officer further added that as per IRC norms, all 109 speed breakers will be painted. Besides, additional cautionary strip will be painted at a distance of 15 meters before the bumps. The department would also install cats' eye on them and erect precautionary boards ahead of these bumps.
The NMC officer, however, pointed out that the corporation constructs speed breakers only when it receives a letter from the traffic police. Citing an example, he pointed out that if any person approaches the traffic police department, the cops direct the NMC to construct speed breaker. Sadly, the traffic police never inspect the road, he added.
In the petition filed before the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court, lawyer Raghvendra Joshi pointed out that speed breakers in the city have a reputation of being better at breaking bones than speed. He also cited a road mishap which took place in MIDC Hingna area on December 19 that claimed the life of a traffic cop.
Joshi expressed the concern over substandard work carried out by NMC on speed breakers. For instance, he said, recently the corporation had installed night reflectors on a speed breaker on Narendra Nagar road. However, the reflector was crushed by the movement of heavy vehicles. At most places, even luminous paints is missing on speed breakers, which leads to many mishaps.
Box
Fast Facts
* Height of a speed breaker cannot exceed 10cm
* White stripes need to be painted one metre before and after the breakers
* No speed breaker should be built on a national highway or main road
* Speed breakers can be built only in front of schools or other educational institutions, hospitals or temples, where people access those buildings from the road
A senior traffic official from NMC told TOI that there are over a 1,000 speed breakers constructed over the 2,117km of NMC roads. Of these, only 109 speed breakers have been constructed as per IRC norms, while the rest are illegal, said the officer.
The officer clarified that city engineer SS Gaikwad has issued directives to demolish the illegal road dividers. "Subsequently, we have issued directives to respective zonal officers to demolish the speed breakers constructed illegally," said the officer. According to the officer, zone one (Laxmi Nagar) has 36 speed breakers constructed by the NMC.
As per the survey, the corporation had erected six speed breakers in Dharampeth zone, two in Hanuman Nagar, six in Dhantoli, five in Nehru Nagar, 15 in Satranjipura, six in Lakadganj, eight in Asinagar and 25 in Mangalwari. Interestingly, there is no speed bump in Gandhibagh zone.
The officer further added that as per IRC norms, all 109 speed breakers will be painted. Besides, additional cautionary strip will be painted at a distance of 15 meters before the bumps. The department would also install cats' eye on them and erect precautionary boards ahead of these bumps.
The NMC officer, however, pointed out that the corporation constructs speed breakers only when it receives a letter from the traffic police. Citing an example, he pointed out that if any person approaches the traffic police department, the cops direct the NMC to construct speed breaker. Sadly, the traffic police never inspect the road, he added.
In the petition filed before the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court, lawyer Raghvendra Joshi pointed out that speed breakers in the city have a reputation of being better at breaking bones than speed. He also cited a road mishap which took place in MIDC Hingna area on December 19 that claimed the life of a traffic cop.
Joshi expressed the concern over substandard work carried out by NMC on speed breakers. For instance, he said, recently the corporation had installed night reflectors on a speed breaker on Narendra Nagar road. However, the reflector was crushed by the movement of heavy vehicles. At most places, even luminous paints is missing on speed breakers, which leads to many mishaps.
Box
Fast Facts
* Height of a speed breaker cannot exceed 10cm
* White stripes need to be painted one metre before and after the breakers
* No speed breaker should be built on a national highway or main road
* Speed breakers can be built only in front of schools or other educational institutions, hospitals or temples, where people access those buildings from the road
* Accident-prone sites are also considered for speed breakers. But that requires prior approval of the traffic police.
