Chandigarh | Traffic cops find faults with tabletop speed-breakers on Madhya Marg

The tabletop at Transport lightpoint has also been blamed for an accident on July 13 in which a pillion rider of a two-wheeler had died, as per information sought under RTI by activist RK Garg; the road in question is the main gateway to Panchkula from Chandigarh and is used by thousands of drivers every day. Many outstation drivers also go towards Himachal Pradesh and Haryana from here.

While tabletops are speed-calming devices installed to keep a check on fatal accidents, the traffic police have written to the UT engineering department about three tabletops on Madhya Marg which, they found, were not in keeping with the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) norms.

The road in question is the main gateway to Panchkula from Chandigarh and is used by thousands of drivers every day. Many outstation drivers also go towards Himachal Pradesh and Haryana from here. (Sant Arora/HT)

The tabletop at Transport lightpoint has also been blamed for an accident on July 13 in which a pillion rider of a two-wheeler had died, as per information sought under RTI by activist RK Garg.

The road in question is the main gateway to Panchkula from Chandigarh and is used by thousands of drivers every day. Many outstation drivers also go towards Himachal Pradesh and Haryana from here.

In the July 13 incident, a two-wheeler rider while approaching the transport light point from the railway light point around 8pm, lost control on reaching the tabletop installed on the slip road. Pillion rider Phool Devi, 52, of Jhujhar Nagar, Mohali, lost her life in the incident. Inquest proceedings initiated by the police also cited the tabletop as the reason for the fatal accident.

No signages to warn people of approaching tabletop

The UT police report further points out that there were no signages installed to warn people about the approaching tabletop, nor were there cat eyes/ fluorescent marking or road studs affixed on it. This makes it difficult for drivers to see it at night.

The tabletops installed at Kalagram lightpoint and Housing Board lightpoint were also inspected by non-motorised transport expert Rajat Kalsi, traffic and road safety expert Nirpinder Jain and deputy superintendent of police (DSP, road safety) Jaswinder Singh.

In this report sent by the DSP to UT chief engineer for action, it is mentioned that tabletops constructed at all three locations are not visible during twilight and night hours.

A visit to the spot on Saturday revealed that the UT administration has started working on these recommendations. Studs have already been affixed before the tabletops while yellow paint was being applied in the evening. (HT File)

Recommendations

Some recommendations were also made in the report which included the need for signages to be installed, retro reflective thermo plastic yellow paint markings on tabletop zebra crossing, yellow studs on the edge of ramp and tabletop, a streetlight of at least 80 lux and at least two to three lines of yellow paver blocks on the ascending and descending side of the tabletop. The recommendations are for tabletops at these three locations -- Transport lightpoint, Kalagram lightpoint and Housing Board lightpoint-- and any new ones that are to be constructed at black spots in the city.

A visit to the spot on Saturday revealed that the UT administration has started working on these recommendations. Studs have already been affixed before the tabletops while yellow paint was being applied in the evening.

Punjab traffic adviser and member of the state-level road safety council Navdeep Asija stressed that while tabletops are very effective as speed-calming devices but these must be made as per IRC standards. “There are also potholes around the tabletops at Transport Lightpoint which lead to accidents. These must be repaired,” he said.

Kamaljeet Singh Soi, member, National Road Safety Council, added, “If not made as per IRC standards, the tabletops can cause a lot of damage. At night, people in Chandigarh are fond of speeding; so it can lead to many accidents.”

Speaking about this, UT chief engineer CB Ojha said, “The decision to make a tabletop here was taken at a district road safety committee meeting. These are to be made at the other blackspots of the city as well. Tabletops not only act as a speed breakers but also allow safe passage for pedestrians to cross the road.”

He added that the effectiveness of tabletops can be seen at the roundabout near Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32. This spot had a high incidence of fatal accidents in the past, but after the installing of tabletops, the accident count has dropped.

He added that the department will ensure adequate lighting and other requisite measures, at tabletops in the city.