NEW DELHI: To ensure safety of pedestrians and minimise on-road fatalities on national highways, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has proposed preparing detailed project reports (DPRs) and designs after considering walkers count at major intersections and stretches.
Besides the pedestrian survey, suggestions from school authorities, local administrations, resident associations, industry owners and other stakeholders and institutions will also be carefully examined in finalisation of blueprints of the projects and site selection for facilities such as crossings, foot over bridges (FoBs) and sidewalks, the ministry has decided.
As part of its action plan aimed at curtailing pedestrian deaths on the national highways, the ministry will carry out a survey — count of wayfarers — according to which provisions for their safety would be made, said officials. The action plan and decision to conduct the survey is in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court Committee of Road Safety.
The minister has directed all the concerned officials and project implementing units to complete the survey by June to ensure proper development, implementation and maintenance of pedestrian facilities as per the manual of Indian Roads Congress (IRC).
“Pedestrian count survey may be conducted through consultants or third party contracts using automated or manual methods. For NH projects at DPR stage, designs may be done only after taking into consideration the pedestrian counts at major junctions and in stretches of significant pedestrian movements. Based on the survey reports and inspections, estimates may be framed and pedestrian-friendly specific works may be proposed as change of scope proposals or as standalone works for inclusion in Road Safety Annual Plan 2023-24,” read a note issued by the ministry.
Rising deaths on the national highways has been a major cause of concern for the authorities. As per the ministry’s latest report on ‘Road Accidents in India’ released in December, 9,462 pedestrians had died on the highways in 2021, which is 16.9 per cent of total fatalities that took place on the stretches under the jurisdiction of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). In 2021, 56,007 fatalities were reported on the national highways while the number in 2020 was 47,670 and 16.29 per cent of them (7,753) were pedestrians. The survey basically will serve as the guiding principle to make provisions for facilities such as FoBs, underpasses, lights, pedestrian signals, and road markings.
“Dedicated pedestrian track facility or in combination with cycle tracks may also be proposed on NHs in identified stretches to segregate pedestrians from high speed highway traffic,” stated the note.
Rising number deaths on NHs a concern
Rising number of deaths on NHs has been a major cause of concern. As per the latest report on ‘Road Accidents in India’ released in December, 9,462 pedestrians died on NHs in 2021, over 16.9 per cent of total fatalities on national highways