In PCMC Standing Committee chief Seema Savale’s area, speed-breakers come in all shapes and sizes

One of the ‘abnormally-sized’ speed-breakers in Indrayani Nagar area (Manoj More)

As one heads towards Indrayani Nagar area of Pimpri-Chinchwad from Telco Road, right at the entry point, one finds a chaotic maze of traffic. There is no road divider, and vehicles move in all possible directions.

While there are no speed breakers here, a little way ahead, there are several, and they seem to be in all shapes and sizes. Many of them are marked in white, but the stripes have faded over time, making it difficult for two-wheeler riders and other motorists to spot them. This is even more difficult in the night, when visibility is poor.

The upmarket area of Indrayani Nagar, which has seen rapid development in the last 10 years, is represented in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation by Seema Savale, who is the chairperson of the civic Standing Committee.

While Savale has reprimanded “negligent” officials over various issues during Standing Committee meetings, local residents said she has failed to take officials, who have failed to ensure safe speed-breakers in the area, to task.

They point out that in last four-five years, at least two persons have lost their lives and several have been injured because of “abnormally-sized” speed-breakers.

Sanjay S, a local resident, said, “There are too many speed-breakers in the Indrayani Nagar area… but there is no uniformity, they come in all shapes… I wonder whether they have been set up as per IRC norms…”

“It becomes difficult to spot them, especially in the night, as the white markings on several speed-breakers have faded. Though some of them seem to pose no threat, a few pose serious risk to the life and limb of an unsuspecting rider,” said Sandeep Shirke, an industrialist.

Seema Savale

Another resident pointed out that there were no sign boards to indicate the presence of speed-breakers. According to civic activist Prashant Inamdar, there should be a prominent retro-reflective cautionary signboard —saying ‘Speed Breaker ahead’ — 40 metres in advance to enable the driver to slow down sufficiently before reaching the speed breaker. “Speed breakers should be painted with alternate black and white stripes as a visual warning,” he said.

Another resident said that a speed-breaker, near Rakesh Sweet Mart, was too high for two-wheeler riders to negotiate it safely. There was also no sign of rumbler strips, which, say civic activists, neither poses a threat to the life a rider nor damages a two-wheeler.

When queried on the issue, Savale said if there were complaints from two-wheeler riders, she would immediately hold a meeting and direct officials to set up speed-breakers that didn’t pose a threat to riders. “I will also ask why they are not exploring the possibility of putting rumbler strips,” she said.

Savale said the PCMC has floated a tender for widening all the narrow roads in Indrayani Nagar area. “The deadline to file the tender ended today. Soon, the process for widening narrow roads to 100 feet will take off. We will also set up proper footpaths and a storm-water drain facility, and ensure that speed-breakers are designed properly,” she said.