NHAI to face FIR for mishap in poorly lit underpasses in Gurugram

Deputy commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh on Wednesday asked the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to provide full power backup for streetlights at Rajiv Chowk and Signature Tower underpasses

Deputy commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh on Wednesday asked the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to provide full power backup for streetlights at Rajiv Chowk and Signature Tower underpasses, warning that an FIR would be filed against the authority for accidents that may happen because of inadequate illumination.

The issue of dark stretches at Rajiv Chowk underpass which were resulting into accidents may finally have a permanent solution as DHBVN has established power connections there and replaced diesel gensets in Gurugram, India, on Thursday, July 05, 2018. (Yogendra Kumar/HT PHOTO)

Singh gave the directive at a meeting he chaired on road safety at the Mini Secretariat on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by officials of the NHAI and two sub-divisional magistrates, among other officials.

During the meeting, officials apprised Singh of the difficulties commuters face while crossing the underpasses, which remain dark at most times of the day because of power cuts. Responding to this, Singh directed the NHAI to ensure full power backup in the underpasses.

Singh said that when a driver enters the underpasses there is sudden change in brightness and it takes the driver a few seconds to respond, during which there is a possibility of accidents. “If a person meets with an accident due to this reason (lack of lighting), then an FIR would be filed against the agency concerned and necessary action will be taken,” an official statement read.

All underpasses built on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, also known as NH-48, are under the jurisdiction of the NHAI and are maintained by private contractors hired by the authority.

When contacted, the NHAI shifted the blamed on Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) . “The problem of lighting at underpasses has been arising because of power outages. We have asked the DHBVN to give us a connection with uninterrupted supply. Any additional amount to be paid (for such a connection) will be deposited once an estimate is given,” NHAI project director Ashok Sharma said.

Although the new underpasses have resolved the issue of traffic jams to a great extent, issues pertaining to road safety and visibility have plagued these structures. After multiple fatal accidents, experts have questioned their design and engineering.