Dwarka’s flyover of faults

Frequent accidents on the Dwarka flyover have raised serious questions on its design. Experts said “faulty design” was responsible for the accidents on the flyover.

Frequent accidents on the Dwarka flyover have raised serious questions on its design. Experts said “faulty design” was responsible for the accidents on the flyover. “There are two, three sharp curves on this flyover. If you are not careful and driving at over 50 kmph, your vehicle can collide with either the central verge or the side railing of the bridge. I have driven on this stretch and found the design faulty,” said P.K. Sarkar, head of the transportation wing, School of Planning and Architecture.

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Motorists using this stretch too complain that the flyover has at least two sharp turns, which they find difficult to manoeuvre, especially when the stretch is relatively empty.

Design fault
“A clover-leaf starting at the beginning of the second curve leads to weaving of traffic, making the stretch accident prone. One gets to hear about accidents quite often on this flyover,” said Shantanu Ghosh, a resident of Dwarka, Sector-11.

No signage
Insufficient lighting, absence of reflectors to warn motorists of the sharp curves ahead and missing signage make it worse, said motorists. Railings are also not high enough to save bikers from falling over the edge of this three-storey-high flyover.

Expert opinion
“The radius of a curve should be between 400-500 metres. Due to lack of space, the agencies sometime fail to maintain the prescribed radius. To compensate that, there should be a series of rumble-strips of thermo-plastic material. Proper signage to discourage people from speeding should also be put,” said S.M. Sarin, former director, Central Road Research Institute.

Official speak
Deputy Commissioner of Police (traffic) Rupinder Singh said there were a couple of safety issues, which have been taken up with the Delhi Development Authority, the agency that constructed the flyover.

“There is need for more signage. Rumble strips near the curves and higher side wall are also required,” said Singh.

Solution
Sarkar suggested precautionary signage and reflectory rumble stripes. “The authorities should act fast and put signage informing motorists about the sharp bends ahead,” he said.

DDA officials were not available to comment.