NEW DELHI: To counter poor visibility on National Highways due to foggy conditions during the winter season, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued directions to reinstall damaged signboards, patrol vulnerable spots, and broadcast alerts, including over-speeding warnings, regularly through public address systems or information panels along the highways.
Officials said that all field offices had been directed to take proactive mitigation measures to enhance visibility and ensure the safety of National Highway users.
To enhance road safety during foggy conditions, mitigation measures have been classified under two categories: ‘Engineering’ and ‘Safety Awareness’ measures. The ‘Engineering measures’ include reinstalling missing or damaged road signs, rectifying faded or inadequate pavement markings, enhancing the visibility of safety devices by providing reflective markers, and adding median markers and transverse bar markings in habitations and accident-prone locations.
Placing solar blinkers on median openings and replacing damaged hazard marker signs at diverging and merging locations are also part of the exercise.
The ‘Safety Awareness’ measures focus on alerting highway users about the reduced visibility conditions. These measures include the use of Variable Message Signs (VMS) or electronic signage to display ‘Foggy Weather Alerts’ and speed limit messages, use of Public Address Systems to warn commuters about driving at a speed limit of 30 km/hour in foggy areas, use of electronic billboards, radio, and social media for public service announcements, as well as distribution of safety awareness pamphlets at Toll Plazas and Wayside Amenities during foggy conditions. Additionally, reflective tapes will be installed on the full width of vehicles on the highways.
“NHAI field offices have been directed to undertake regular night-time highway inspections by a team consisting of NHAI officials, Independent Engineers, Concessionaires/Contractors to assess visibility on highways and identify locations for installing additional provisions as required. Highway Patrol vehicles will also be stationed near dense foggy stretches. The highway operation and maintenance team will carry red/green blinking batons for guiding traffic in case of an accident and will collaborate seamlessly with local law enforcement, ambulance services, and municipal authorities,” said officials.
The NHAI team will also conduct joint drills with traffic police and exercises to ensure efficient coordination during fog-related emergencies.
Earlier, NHAI delegated financial powers for the rectification of accident spots to its field officers. These powers can be utilized for providing engineering short-term measures to enhance visibility during foggy weather and improve the overall safety of road users.