Poor maintenance turning fly-oversinto death traps: Traffic Police survey

By Dheeraj Fartode

AFTER a detailed survey of 30 fly-overs spread across the city, the Traffic Police Department has suggested a slew of measures to prevent fatalities. The report has exposed poor maintenance of the bridges by the agencies which are turning them into death traps.

The survey has come against the backdrop of two ghastly mishaps last month where five people lost their lives after being knocked down by speeding vehicles on Sakkardara and Shaheed Gowari fly-overs. In both the accidents, the victims were tossed in the air by the impact and fell on the road beneath.

The preventive measures suggested in the survey report include installation of metal fencing or sound barriers on parapet walls, CCTV cameras, rumble strips, blinkers and proper illumination.

The study report exposed the shoddy maintenance work of the fly-overs by construction agencies in the second capital as the fly-overs are becoming death traps for motorists with a whopping 23 fatal accidents reported in the past three years.

Last month, two horrific mishaps occurred on the fly-overs wherein riders on two-wheelers were tossed off the fly-overs after being hit by rashly driven four wheelers. Those lives could have been saved if the bridge had protective fencing on the parapet walls.

In the aftermath of the accidents, Commissioner of Police (CP) Amitesh Kumar chaired a meeting of top officials to initiate preventive measures. Traffic police officials led by DCP Sarang Awad conducted the inspection of 30 fly-overs and submitted a 30-page report which included preventive measures, name of construction agency and accidents reported in the past three years.

Smruti Nagar fly-over (NHAI)

Road-divider was constructed on the bridge. However, it needs metal fencing and sound barriers, CCTV cameras, rumble strips, blinkers, sign boards and proper illumination. A minor accident in 2020, a major and a minor accident in 2021 and a major accident in 2022 were reported on the bridge showing urgency of preventive measures.

Mankapur fly-over (NHAI)

The officials suggested to increase the height of parapet wall upto five feet or installation of sound barriers. Blinkers, rumble strips, sign boards, proper illumination, proper construction of road surface, painting of black & white strips are the suggestions made by the officials. One fatal accident each occurred in 2020, 2021 and 2022 on the bridge showing necessity of preventive measures.

Sadar fly-over (NHAI)

The officials suggested mentioning the word ‘Speed limit’ in the boards already installed on the bridge along with sound barriers where protective fencing was not installed. Repairing of blinkers, cleaning of bridge surface, action against rule violators are also some measures.

Two major and a minor accidents were reported in 2020, a major and two minor accidents occurred in 2021 while two major accidents were reported in 2022. It shows the fly-over has become an accident prone spot.

Shaheed Gowari fly-over (NHAI/PWD): The officials suggested installation of protective fencing or sound barriers on both sides, curved stones (road dividers), speed boards and height barriers on both entry points of the bridge to prohibit movement of heavy vehicles on the bridge. Two fatal accidents and a major accident were reported this year on the bridge. Sakkardara fly-over (MSRDC): Installation of metal fencing on parapet wall, installation of CCTV cameras, blinkers and rumble strip as road-divider on the bridge are the measures suggested by the officials. Three fatal accidents and two major accidents have been reported in the past three years. Last month, four persons were killed when they were tossed off the bridge after their motorcycle was hit by a speeding four-wheeler.

Pachpaoli fly-over (PWD): Proper illumination is not available on the bridge. Construction of the parapet walls with height of five feet or installation of metal fencing on the parapet walls is necessary along with lane marking, installation of metal fencing above the railway crossing, boards of speed limits, blinkers and CCTV cameras. One major and one minor accident were reported in 2021.

Mehandi Bagh fly-over (MSRDC): Proper illumination necessary on the bridge. Painting of blurred black & white strips, lane marking, blinkers, CCTV cameras, speed limit sign boards are required. The officials also suggested increasing the height of the parapet walls by two feet. A minor accident was reported in 2021.

Itwari-Dahi Bazar fly-over (MSRDC): The traffic officials suggested repainting of blurred black & white strips along with lane marking. They also suggested increasing the height of parapet walls by five feet or installation of protective fencing along with blinkers, CCTV cameras and road-divider. No accident has been reported on the bridge in the past three years.

Ram Jhula (PWD): The officials suggested installation of CCTV cameras, steel fencing on both parapet walls, blinkers and sign boards. A major accident was reported in 2020 and a fatal accident occurred in 2022 on the bridge.

Manas Square to Jai Stambha Square (NMC/PWD): Installation of reflectors on both parapet walls, speed limit boards, repairing of road and trimming of trees are the suggestions given by the officials. A major accident occurred this year.

Rajiv Gandhi railway crossing over-bridge (PWD): The inspection team suggested installing metal fencing on the parapet walls, CCTV cameras, rumble strip, blinkers, and sign boards about speed limit on the bridge. Two fatal accidents occurred in 2022.

Mankapur Square to Martin Nagar fly-over (PWD): Installation of metal fencing and sound barriers on parapet walls, CCTV cameras, rumble strips, blinkers on both sides along with sign boards and proper illumination are the measures suggested for the bridge. A person was injured in an accident reported this year.

Delhi railway crossing fly-over (NHAI): The bridge has road-divider and street lights. The officials suggested installation of metal fencing and sound barriers, CCTV cameras, rumble strips and blinkers along with sign boards. A major road accident was reported last year on the bridge.

Dighori fly-over (MSRDC): Installation of fencing on parapet walls, CCTV cameras, blinkers and rumble strips are the suggestions made by traffic police officials. A fatal and a major accident were reported on the bridge this year.

Narendra Nagar fly-over (NMC): Sound barriers on parapet walls, painting of parapet walls, sign boards, blinkers, proper illumination, CCTV cameras are some of the important measures suggested by the inspection team. No accident has been reported in the past three years. Chinchbhuvan fly-over (NHAI): Installation of CCTV camera is the only suggestion made by the officials. No accident has been reported in the past three years.

Manish Nagar fly-over (MahaMetro): The officials asked for installation of blinkers on lane marking and CCTV cameras on the bridge. No accident occurred in the past three years.

Vihirgaon fly-over (NHAI): Installations of fencing on parapet walls, sign boards and blinkers, proper illumination and CCTV cameras required on the bridge. A fatal and a major accident occurred on the bridge in 2020.

Kapsi bridge (NHAI): Speed limit boards, sign boards and blinkers on the centre required on the bridge. No accident occurred in the past three years.

Chhatarpur bridge (NHAI): Speed limit boards with other sign boards and reflectors need to be installed on the bridge, suggested by the officials. No accident has been reported in the last three years.

Ajni railway crossing over-bridge (CR/NMC): The officials suggested repairing roads on the bridge. A minor accident was reported this year.

Lihigaon fly-over (NHAI): Speed limits boards, sign boards need to be erected on the bridge along with reflectors. No accident has been reported on the bridge in the last three years.

Panjari toll plaza over-bridge (NHAI): Installation of protective barriers on parapet walls, sign boards, reflectors, proper illumination, blinkers and CCTV cameras required on the bridge. Accidents have not occurred in the past three years.

Gondwana Square to Kadbi Square over-bridge (NMC): Metal fencing required on the parapet walls along with sound barriers. Similarly, CCTV cameras, rumble strips, blinkers, sign boards, radium strips on parapet walls and proper illumination required on the bridge for the safety of traffic. A minor accident occurred in 2020 while a major accident was reported in 2022.

Hudkeshwar road fly-over (NHAI): Installation of sound barriers on parapet walls, sign boards about Wela Hari village, reflectors on lanes, proper illumination with CCTV cameras are the measures suggested by the inspection team. A fatal accident each was reported in 2020 and 2021.

Wela Hari fly-over (NHAI): Installation of sound barriers on parapet wall, sign boards, solar reflectors on lanes, CCTV cameras and proper illumination required on the bridge. A fatal accident was reported in 2020.

Mahadula fly-over (NHAI): The officials suggested installation of metal fencing, CCTV cameras, rumble strips, sign boards and proper illumination on the bridge. A major and a minor accident occurred this year.

Hotel Pride-Ajni Square over-bridge (MahaMetro): The officials suggested only installation of CCTV cameras on the bridge. A fatal accident was reported last year.

Tarodi fly-over (NHAI): No measures suggested by the officials despite one and four fatal accidents reported in 2020 and 2021, respectively. MIHAN-SEZ over-bridge (MIHAN): No preventive measure was suggested for the bridge.