NDMC to install 7k solar markers on Lutyens’ pavements for night time safety

NDMC will install 7,338 solar pavement markers on Lutyens' Delhi roads for enhanced night safety, costing ₹1.74 crore, within two months.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is set to begin installation of solar pavement markers or solar studs across major avenue roads in Lutyens’ Delhi in order to improve night time road safety measures in the area, officials said.

NDMC to install 7k solar markers on Lutyens’ pavements for night time safety

A total of 7,338 solar studs at the cost of ₹1.74 crore will be installed within two months, the officials added.

“NDMC is planning the installation of various safety equipment. More than 7,000 solar studs will be installed to cover all 79 avenue roads. At Sardar Patel Marg and Baba Kaharak Singh Marg, work is set to begin soon to install devices. These are critical road safety components that must be installed in accordance with prescribed Indian Roads Congress (IRC) and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) norms,” a senior NDMC official said.

Besides, additional safety features such as urban delineators and flexible median markers will be installed at two key stretches: Sardar Patel Marg and Baba Kharak Singh Marg.

The pavement markers will be made of a high impact-resistant polycarbonate molded body, will be solar powered, and have LED self-illumination in active mode. “The marker shall support a load of 20,000 kg to improve its durability. The frequency of blinking is 1 Hz. The operational life of the battery will be around three years. The markers will be solar powered but the battery is the backup mode, capable of providing illumination for a minimum of three days without sunlight,” the official explained. “Nails will not be used in the installation process to prevent any damage to road surface; instead an epoxy resin-based adhesive will be used.”

According to project report, each solar pavement marker is expected to have a life of 100,000 hours and visibility from at least 500 metres. Additionally, ₹47 lakh will be spent on SP Marg and BKS Marg for the addition of delineators, median markers, molded shanks and more than 500 solar pavement markers.

Last year, majority avenue roads in Lutyens’ Delhi were found to be in need of maintenance and rehabilitation measures after a survey was carried out across 79 roads in five divisions covering New Delhi by the Central Road Research Institute.

The survey in January and February pointed at issues ranging from cracks, distressed services, distresses and weathering. The CRRI report has recommended milling and overlay for important roads including Outer Circle of Connaught Place, Sansad Marg, Janpath, KG Marg, Lodhi estate among others.