News Detail

• Road safety crusader Chandmal Parmar has drawn attention to the non-implementation of road safety measures during construction of highways, saying it was partly responsible for increasing road accidents and traffic jams, hurdles and harassment of road users.Parmar, who formed the Kumari Rajshree Parmar Memorial Foundation, a non-government organisation after his daughter, Rajshree, lost her life in a road accident, said the foundation’s recent study of highways revealed that safety measures are not followed.He said government authorities — such as the Union ministry of road transport, National Highway Authority of India, public works department and municipalities — put the onus of following the safety measures during the construction of roads on the contractors.“Implementation of these safety measures by the contractors will be helpful in reducing road accidents, traffic jams, technical hurdles and harassment of road users,” he said.

• Parmar noted that wherever road construction work is being undertaken, cautionary signboard and ‘go slow’ signs 1 km from the site should be put up. These should be visible in the day as well as at night. He suggested there should be iron or steel-sheet barricades at the spot where construction work is going on.Wherever there is a diversion on the highway, the contractor should put up a big diversion board with reflective tapes 15 metres before the diversion point, so that drivers get a fair idea about it well in advance. “These diversions should be maintained regularly without any potholes or rough roads,” he cautioned.He said the authorities should take stringent action against contractors and consultants for non-implementation of road safety measures.

Source