A comprehensive survey conducted by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has revealed a concerning trend: a significant portion of the city’s speed breakers are substandard and do not comply with safety regulations. Out of a total of 2,936 speed breakers across 15 zones, a staggering 1,089 were found to be defective. This means over one-third of the city’s speed breakers pose a potential risk to drivers and pedestrians.
The survey highlighted alarming discrepancies in compliance with the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) norms, which specify standards for height, length, paint markings, and signage. Thiruvottiyur zone emerged as a particularly concerning area, with only 4 out of 126 speed breakers meeting the IRC standards. Similarly, Manali zone had only 36 out of 120 speed breakers complying with the regulations. In South Chennai zones, Adyar had only 12 compliant speed breakers out of 149, while Sholinganallur had 30 out of 65.
In contrast, Perungudi zone was found to have all 554 speed breakers adhering to the IRC norms, showcasing a positive exception. The survey identified major roads with defective speed breakers including P T Rajan Salai, R K Shanmugam Salai, Taylors Road, Mogappair Church Road, Madhavaram High Road, and Thiruvottiyur High Road.
Following the survey findings, GCC Commissioner J Kumaragurubaran issued a circular to all ward assistant engineers, directing them to initiate corrective measures for the defective speed breakers. The circular mandates specific dimensions for speed breakers, including a 15-meter radius, 0.10-meter height, and 3.5-meter chord length for interior roads, and a 31-meter radius, 0.10-meter height, and 5-meter chord length for other roads. The commissioner also emphasized the need for speed breakers at key locations such as schools, hospitals, and residential areas, and suggested the inclusion of reflective sign boards at transit stations and zebra crossings.
The GCC plans to implement these changes within the next two months. Experts like Sampath Kumar, Highways Engineer at Sathyabama University, have suggested that traffic police should actively curb overspeeding and install ‘speed alert sign boards’ to address the issue. Kumar believes that addressing overspeeding is crucial to prevent the installation of illegal speed breakers.
An anti-corruption NGO, Arappor Iyakkam, also conducted a study which identified over 200 illegal speed breakers. Jayaram Venkatesan, the NGO’s convenor, emphasized that speed breakers should be constructed only during road reconstruction projects and that accountability must be established for contractors and officials involved in any violations.
The GCC’s efforts to rectify the situation are a positive step towards ensuring road safety for drivers and pedestrians in Chennai. The focus on implementing standardized speed breakers, along with addressing overspeeding, is essential to create a safer and more efficient road network within the city.
