Haphazard speed breakers across state to be replaced (NT)

Haphazard speed breakers across state to be replaced Published on: July 11, 2013 - 01:54 BY JOAO SOUSA M | NT PONDA: While unscientific and illegal road humps (speed breakers) don the roads to control overspeeding vehicles, often they are turning into back-breakers and have on several occasions contributed to accidents. The PWD has now taken up a daunting task of surveying all the speed breakers across the state and will be replacing them by scientifically-built humps as per the guidelines of Indian Roads Congress (IRC). A highly-placed source in the PWD, requesting anonymity, informed that the speed breakers are a problem in the state and there are irregularities in their construction as in some places the hump is used while in others rumblers. He said the department has now taken up the task of conducting a survey and physical verification of all the speed breakers on the highways. He said that the common problem that is faced is the height of the hump which is sometimes raised more than the prescribed limits if the department feels that the height of hump may not be sufficient to regulate the speed of heavy vehicles. He said the work on correcting the height and breadth of the speed breakers will start only after the monsoon. He said a speed breaker cannot be erected without proper notification and that the survey will also bring to light illegally-constructed speed breakers. He also said that the Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar has taken note of the irregular speed breakers and directed the PWD to take corrective measures. Another official quoting the norms from the Indian Roads Congress manual said, a speed breaker must have a width of 3.7 metre and a height of 0.1 metre on a road where the traffic moves at a speed of around 25 km/h in a town or city. He also said that the guidelines also make it clear that no vehicle should suffer any damage if it hits a speed breaker and most importantly, the vehicle user should not lose control. He also informed that according to IRC norms, speed breakers should not be anywhere near 10 metre of a busy intersection. The undercarriage of cars frequently gets damaged due to speed breakers as some cars have a low ground clearance. Further he informed that construction of humps should be restricted only to vital crossroads, particularly where low grade roads connect with a high-speed traffic corridor. Humps should be properly painted with black and white or black and yellow stripes. High-speed roads, highways, major bypasses cannot have bumps, unless there is a crossing with another high-speed corridor. He informed that the speed breakers need to be notified properly and well illuminated as they are not visible especially at night often leading to accidents and two-wheelers are often the victims of negligence, adding that, it is the responsibility of PWD to maintain the speed breakers within their jurisdiction. http://www.navhindtimes.in/goa-news/haphazard-speed-breakers-across-state-be-replaced