CHENNAI: Several reports and experts have called for the design of national highways to be enhanced to make it safer for bikers. However, the Central government seems to have done exactly the opposite. The Union Ministry of Road Highways and Road Transport has tweaked the standards for the construction of paved shoulders -- a portion of road on the extreme left side -- by reducing its width.
As per the manual of the Indian Road Congress, two-lane national highways must have four-metre-wide shoulders -- 2.5 metres of which must be paved and 1.5 metres soil. Now the widths have been reduced to 1.5 metres and 1 metre respectively. Combined, the shoulder width has come down from 4 metres to a mere 2.5. This, according to a recent order issued by the NHAI.
Why is this important? Apart from the main carriageway, the edges of the roads too play a major role in vehicle movement. The shoulders not just support the structure, but also provide space for several purposes -- for making emergency stops, overtaking, and for small and slow-moving vehicles such as bikes and cycles.
However, justifying its decision, the ministry has said that increased shoulder width was actually working against safety. The extra space was tempting people to drive in the wrong direction or overtake recklessly, increasing the possibility of accidents. The Centre has also said that increased shoulder space was driving up land acquisition costs.
The move, experts say, could be bad for two-wheelers, which now will have to use the main carriageway. "Truckers and heavy vehicle drivers often do not follow lane discipline, which will make life difficult for us bikers," fears S Kumaravel of Villupuram. There is concern if this decision will further drive up accident rates.