The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : A barricade can make a world of difference

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 18, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

A barricade can make a world of difference

Karthik Subramanian

But the guidelines for safe practices are generally ignored by contractors, says official

CHENNAI: Sometimes, simple measures can mean the difference between life and death on the roads: a danger sign, a barricade or a reflector. Yet the very Government agencies that hold seminars on road safety are found wanting when it comes to such simple measures.

Government agencies, including the Chennai Corporation and the Public Works Department, take into account a set of guidelines for safe practices at the time of signing contracts for works that require road cuts. But a senior official, on condition of anonymity, admitted that the contractors generally overlook the guidelines.

"The guidelines become important only when there is some mishap. The prosecuting agencies penalise the contractors, and they end up spending a lot more than they would have spent putting up barricades and reflectors," he said.

The liability of Government agencies in accidents caused by open trenches is also vague.

A senior police officer said that under normal circumstances, the investigating officers do not press charges against Government officials.

In case of deaths due to open road cuts, cases are normally filed under Section 304 (A) of Indian Penal Code against the contractors. The Section reads: "Whoever causes the death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both."

Instances

Instances of Government officials being held responsible are rare. In January 2003, the State Human Rights Commission ordered the Chief General Manager of Chennai Telephones to pay Rs.1.4 lakh to the family of a city resident who died after he fell into a trench on Haddows Road in Nungambakkam. The Commission ordered the CGM to recover the money from the contractor.

A senior officer of the Chennai Corporation said it was the civic agency's endeavour to keep the roads as safe as possible.

"We have been insisting and will continue to insist upon the contractors carrying out road cuts to take precautionary measures."

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