Central government’s ‘road safety cell’ guidelines were not followed on SG highway
The ISKCON bridge accident could have been avoided if proper guidelines were followed on SG highway
Updated: Jul 27th, 2023
Gujarat’s Ahmedabad witnessed the horrific ISKCON bridge accident on July 20, in which the driver, Tathya Patel, killed nine people. It has come to light that the SG highway authorities flouted the guidelines released in a circular by the road transport and highway authority in Jan 2023.
The road safety cell reports that 31% of accidents occur in India, resulting in 36% of deaths. It has been made mandatory to install speed breakers and rumble strips, especially around hospitals and schools.
Solar blinkers, sign boards, rumble strips are necessary
At vulnerable locations, plastic spring posts should be installed as crash barriers and dividers. It is important to place solar blinkers, cat eyes, sign boards, descriptive boards, thermoplastic paints, and rumble strips on bridges. Signages should be placed 500 m before the narrow area of the bridge begins.
As per the guidelines, it is also necessary to declare accident zones as ‘black spots’ and upload photographs and videos of the accident with these black spot areas marked on the official website to warn the citizens. The guidelines also insisted on maintaining safety after consulting road safety officers and making necessary changes.
Guidelines for traffic police
In Ahmedabad, reflective jackets are allotted to police and Traffic Brigade (TRB) personnel while working on roads, but many flout these norms . Reflective safety jackets must be worn in dimly lit areas such as the ISKCON bridge accident site.
A person with a strong torch light should be assigned 50 m prior to the accident site at night.
After any accident takes place, the other side of the road should be kept accessible with clear safety for other vehicles.
Reflective cones should be placed 15-25 m prior to the accident site.These cones warn other vehicles, and more accidents can be avoided. However, reflective cones are rarely seen on the roads of Ahmedabad.
No lighting on bridge- an open invitation to accidents
Experts say parapets, dividers, potholes, and other obstructions are not visible if there is darkness on the bridge, which increases the risk of accidents.
A highway passing through a city must have proper lighting, CCTV cameras and speed guns.
A speed limit board is a must if a state highway passes through the city.
On the highway from Sarkhej to Vaishnodevi, the maximum speed limit for cars is 70 kmph and for two-wheelers is 50 kmph. Most people break the speed limit on this highway.
The ISKCON bridge accident is a stark reminder to follow necessary road safety guidelines in order to prevent any similar incidents in the future.
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