Civic bodies have decided to put a brake on speed breakers following directions from the lieutenant Governor. To begin with, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation will remove existing speed breakers too.
All road-owning agencies - including municipal corporations, public works department and CPWD - have been instructed to remove speed breakers. They will only be permitted outside schools, hospitals and other strategic locations or places frequented by women and children.
The order came after several complaints that a large number of breakers came up without proper permission from road-owning agencies. A majority of illegal speed breakers had come up in residential colonies, in front of houses. leader of the House in South Corporation Subhash Arya said, "South corporation has already started demolishing the illegally constructed speed breakers and other two corporations — North and East — will start soon."
A senior official of North Corporation said the civic body will first target speed breakers in residential colonies, which came up without proper permission. "Illegal speed breakers have been built outside houses of the rich and influential in several posh colonies," he said.
A senior traffic official said the request for construction of speed breakers is analysed from a traffic point of view and the recommendation is sent to the Speed Breaker Committee, which decides on its construction or removal. The safety of commuters, particularly pedestrians, and smooth flow of traffic are important criteria.
This committee consists of representatives of the municipal corporations, NDMC, PWD, CRRI, Traffic Police and concerned residents' welfare associations. The height of speed breakers should not be more 10 cm.
Officials admit that a majority of speed breakers have not followed Indian Road Congress guidelines. This often leads to pile-up of vehicles when their movement slows down on arterial stretches. There is constant risk of their ramming into each other.
Arya said, "We have decided to stick to the old practice of constructing speed breakers near schools, colleges, hospitals and market places in residential colonies. This will be done in proper consultation with the committee and to ensure safety of women, children and old people."