By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 12 Dec: Taking cognisance of public ire and road accidents over some haphazardly constructed speed breakers in Dehradun, Secretary, PWD, Dr Pankaj Kumar Pandey today sought an explanation from the department engineers regarding these speed breakers which have suddenly come up around several major crossings of the city. In the wake of a recent road accident in Dehradun which had killed 6 youngsters allegedly due to speeding, the police and the district administration, in a knee-jerk reaction, ordered speed breakers and other measures in the city to prevent speeding of vehicles. These measures are also stated to have been directed by District Magistrate Savin Bansal. However, knee jerk reaction hardly ever resolves the actual issue or the problem!
On the direction of the DM, the Dehradun unit of PWD went into a hyperactive mode and built several speed breakers and zebra crossings, ostensibly to prevent speeding on major crossings of the capital. However, these “bumpy” speed-breakers have allegedly caused some accidents and injuries, too, raising a public outcry over the move.
Now the Public Works Department (PWD) has raised concerns over the unplanned construction of speed breakers across Dehradun, which were built without adherence to traffic specifications or norms and also without adopting accompanying public safety measures such as installing warning signals, etc. PWD Secretary Dr Pankaj Kumar Pandey has sought immediate clarification from the engineer responsible and has directed immediate corrective action.
PWD Secretary Dr Pandey today issued an official letter addressing the issue. The letter stated that some media reports have highlighted construction of multiple speed breakers in Dehradun without following prescribed standards and that this has led to traffic inconveniences and increasing the risk of accidents.
The Secretary has questioned the rationale behind the construction of the speed breakers and has sought details about who approved or ordered them. He has also sought explanation on why safety measures were neglected in the construction of the speed breakers and what steps have been taken to safeguard the public. Pandey has instructed the engineers concerned to provide an immediate explanation and ensure prompt corrective action.
It may be recalled that residents of Dehradun have reported numerous accidents caused by the unmarked speed breakers. Near the Clock Tower area, seven accidents have been recorded on a single day, leaving two people seriously injured. Among them was a three-year-old child who fell from a bike after the vehicle was jolted by a speed breaker. The child sustained injuries and has been left traumatised. The locals have alleged that no warning signs, boards, or indicators were installed near the newly constructed speed breakers, making them hazardous, especially during low visibility hours.
Sources concede that the speed breakers were reportedly constructed after a fatal accident involving an Innova on 11 November, aiming to control vehicular speed in the city. However, their hurried and unregulated construction has drawn criticism for causing more harm than good.
It has been also been claimed that the speed breakers were constructed under the Smart City project on the direction of District Magistrate, who is also the CEO of the Smart City Projects. When questioned, Smart City Public Relations Officer admitted that the speed breakers could be painted immediately after construction as the material needed to dry first.
It is a matter of public knowledge that District Magistrate Savin Bansal has directed road safety enhancements, including road improvements, speed breaker construction, zebra crossings, and divider installations. However, the lack of immediate safety indicators has overshadowed the intended benefits of these efforts. The unregulated installation of bump speed breakers has exposed flaws in the planning and execution of Dehradun’s road safety initiatives.
The administration and the PWD’s provincial section have installed speed breaker at the Clock Tower while earlier, speed breakers and zebra crossings were also installed at ONGC Chowk. Now, along with the speed breaker at the Clock Tower, zebra crossings are also being marked but still there is no warning signal regarding the speed breaker. New dividers are being installed on Rajpur Road.
Frequent news of road accidents is alarming. This raises questions about the effectiveness of police and administrative efforts to ensure road safety but accidents often evoke knee jerk reactions from the authorities which are now again under fresh pressure to ensure that proper safety measures are implemented to prevent further accidents and restore public confidence in urban infrastructure planning.
