The Andheri-Ghatkopar Road has 20 speed breakers on either side of the divider from Asalpha to Saki Naka junction. All of them are unauthorised and unpainted, making them killer bumps. The speed of vehicular traffic will put a snail to shame. Even during daytime, this stretch is risky to drive and during night time it is positively dangerous.
The Free Press Journal has been reporting about fatal accidents of two-wheeler riders and others owing to speed breakers which are not laid as per norms. Some of them are very high because of which the chassis of cars touch them.
* Speed breakers are installed to slow down traffic near schools, colleges or hospitals so that children/ senior citizens can cross the road easily. They are also installed near entry points of bridges or narrow roads to ensure that motorists reduce their speed.
* Unplanned speed breakers slow down emergency vehicles like ambulances and fire engines. Not only do they damage vehicles and cause heavy traffic congestion, they also lead to accidents and spoil the quality of roads.
* As per the Indian Road Congress guidelines (IRC), speed breakers must be placed on minor roads, intersections of minor roads with major roads, selected streets in residential areas. They should not be built on high-speed roads or highways.
* The Indian Roads Congress has suggested that speed breakers should have a radius of 17mt, a height of 10cm and a width of 3.7mt to maintain a vehicular speed of 25 km/h for general traffic.
* A speed breaker should have a warning signal in advance and a coat of paint visible to the driver so that they can apply the brakes at some distance. They should be painted with alternate black and white bands to give additional visual warning.
* Mumbai traffic police or the traffic department of the BMC should maintain them and should ensure that new ones are constructed according to the guidelines provided by the IRC.
* Speed breakers are supposed to be installed by local ward offices after taking permission from the traffic police. But often they are laid under pressure by politicians who want to appease their voters.
Beginning today, the Free Press Journal, in collaboration with Mumbai North Central District Forum, is launching a campaign against illegal and unmarked speed breakers with the support of Roads of Mumbai and Mumbai Matterz. You can send pictures with captions of such speed breakers in your area, giving the exact location along with your name, address and mobile numbers to fpjreaderreporter@gmail.com. You can also tweet pictures at Twitter handles @fpjindia, @MNCDFBombay, @RoadsofMumbai and @MumbaiMatterz.
