NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has deployed Truck Mounted Attenuators (TMAs) as a part of its highway safety measures, specifically for the protection of workers and motorists in construction zones.
The safety equipment attached to a vehicle is a specialised mobile safety barrier, which is often equipped with high-intensity warning lights that cushion the impacts of the collision to prevent accidents in work zones.
How does TMA work?
TMAs play a critical role in protecting both workers and road users. In the event of a collision, these systems absorb and dissipate kinetic energy, reducing the force of impact.
The deployed TMAs are equipped with high-intensity wig-wag warning lights, designed to flash in alternating patterns that form directional arrows. These signals provide clear and timely warnings to approaching drivers.
So far, 33 TMAs have been deployed on nine highway projects. Additionally, 15 towable TMAs have also been put in service.
“As MoRTH actively expands National Highways, its focus is not just on faster connectivity but on improving safety standards to a global level. Infrastructure development is not only about building wider roads, but it is also about protecting every life on the road. TMAs have been deployed with such an aim. Such global practices are saving many lives, including those of on-ground workers and highway users,” officials said.
"All TMAs comply with globally recognised safety standards, including MASH Test Level 3 (TL 3) and NCHRP 350 Test Level (TL) 3," officials added.
Mash TL 3 barriers are designed to safely contain and redirect vehicles in 100 km speed impacts. The NCHRP 350 TL 3 (TL-3) compliant devices can safely contain and direct a 4,400 lb (2,000-kg) pickup truck impacting at 100 km per hour speed.
Stressing the need for TMAs, the Ministry said that hundreds of workers engaged for every highway upgrade and maintenance work operate in challenging and high-risk environments.
Therefore, maintenance and construction zones on busy highways are among the most vulnerable areas, where speeding vehicles and limited visibility can lead to severe accidents.
Notably, at present, devices are stalled by a concessionaire, which operates and manages nine National Highway projects covering a length of 681 kilometres across Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.
“This initiative reflects MoRTH’s vision on safety and its transformation into real, measurable action on the ground. Solutions like TMAs represent the evolving identity of modern infrastructure, where development is not defined by just speed, but by safe workers and safe journey,” officials added.
