The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Bumpy ride for motorists

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Monday, Jul 07, 2008
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Bumpy ride for motorists

S. Anil Radhakrishnan

Unscientific humps have come up at many places ignoring IRC stipulation

Photo: S. Mahinsha

Impending danger: Speed-breakers have been installed willy-nilly at different roads in the city giving motorists a tough time. -

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Unscientifically laid and unpainted road humps that have come up in many busy roads in the capital ignoring the specifications given by Indian Road Congress (IRC) are turning to be safety hazards to motorists and road users.

The humps have come up all of a sudden in Althara-Keltron junction Manaveeyam road, Thycaud-Model School junction, Plamood-Andadiyil-Moolavilakom-Patoor stretch, AKG-Spencer junctions. They have been set up reportedly by the Public Works Department (PWD) authorities as per the directives of the Government’s Accident Reduction Committee.

Accidents

These humps rattle the spine of motorists who are caught unawares. Accidents have also been reported at these humps.

The speed-breakers have been set up ignoring the advice of the traffic officials that they will impede the smooth flow of traffic.

The traffic officials are not even aware of the stretches where the speed-breakers have been installed.

Humps are usually put up near educational institutions, accident-prone areas and approach to busy junctions.

Setting up of speed-breakers on highways is not encouraged by road authorities as highways are meant for speedy movement of vehicles.

“It should not be an element of surprise to the motorists who enter a road. The specifications given by the IRC should be installed on both sides of these speed-breakers to prevent accidents,” says T. Elangovan of the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre.

IRC specifications

Signboards and road humps should be glazed with reflective materials to make them visible at night for the road users. As per the IRC specifications, the central height of humps should be 10-12 cm, parabola in shape, 3.5 metres of width and length same as the road width.

The humps should be painted with ‘V’ shape and should not be more than five metres away from the junction or the intersection.

Two signboards, one at 20 to 30 metres and another 10 metres away from the hump should be placed to inform the motorists about the speed-breakers. The practice of setting up rumble strips near the mouth of junctions and on highways is not advisable.

The rumble strips are suggested on the approach to level-crossings and hospitals to warn the motorists, says Mr. Elangovan.

The rumble strips should be of five to 10 strips together. The width of each strip should be one foot and the gap between each strip should also be one foot.

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