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
(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
* Accident-prone sites are also considered for speed breakers. But that requires prior approval of the traffic police.