NT Reporter
Margao
The Public Works Department (Roads Division) will undertake a comprehensive study of all speed breakers installed on roads, including village roads, following
accidents linked to the unregulated construction of speed breakers, some of them illegal.
While the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had banned the use of humps as speed breakers on national highways, these have made a return on several state highways, major district roads and village roads.
Many of the speed breakers are not built uniformly, raising doubts about the scientific approach to the construction of humps and rumble strips erected on roads, said sources.
“The decision was taken at the district road safety management committee to study all speed breakers, irrespective of whether they have been approved by competent authorities. Illegal ones will be removed,” Convener of Goa Consumer Action Network, Roland Martins, told The Navhind Times. He did not provide a timeline for the exercise.
The ministry had banned the use of speed breakers on highways, stating that they hinder the smooth traffic movement and pose safety hazards on high-speed corridors. It had mandated that speed breakers defeat the purpose of spending huge sums on developing smooth, high-speed corridors.
The notification further stated that in case of construction of rumble strips, the same must be approved by the PWD Chief Engineer as a minimum requirement to regulate traffic.
“This is undesirable, as the function of national highways is to facilitate movement of traffic. Speed breakers can be a source of serious hazards and accidents to the fast-moving traffic,” states the notification by the ministry.
It further stated that recommendations provide for properly designed rumble strips at locations such as sharp curves, level crossings and congested or accident-prone areas where speed control on national highways is unavoidable.
Sources said several accidents have been attributed to irregularly constructed speed breakers and rumble strips that have not been painted or were built abruptly without sufficient warning to drivers and riders, resulting in mishaps.
