Goa’s national highways has once again come under intense scrutiny, with the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) issuing a firm directive to the Principal Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD).
The rights body has mandated the submission of a comprehensive report by June 16th, addressing the department’s continued failure to adhere to established guidelines and remove these illegal impediments despite prior mandates. This intervention by the GHRC underscores the critical intersection of infrastructure management and the fundamental right to safe and efficient transit, particularly concerning emergency medical services. The matter was brought before the GHRC by Ponda-based businessman Nikhil Desai, who has been a vocal advocate against these hazardous road obstructions. Citing explicit guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court, Desai pointed out that speed breakers are unequivocally prohibited on national highways. Instead, the apex court advocates for alternative speed control mechanisms, such as the strategic deployment of CCTV surveillance, which ensures adherence to speed limits without posing physical barriers that can disrupt the flow of traffic and endanger vulnerable commuters.
Desai’s persistent efforts trace back to 2023, when his initial communication to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) resulted in the temporary removal of some of these illegal speed breakers. However, to the dismay of commuters and safety advocates, a number of these speed-reducing installations have alarmingly resurfaced, raising serious questions about the efficacy and accountability of the concerned authorities. Desai’s personal experience of witnessing the arduous transportation of patients in inadequately equipped ambulances from his hometown of Ponda to the Goa Medical College (GMC) at Bambolim, their suffering exacerbated by these abrupt and unwarranted speed breakers, has fuelled his determined campaign for safer highways. He further articulated the crucial point that national highways, being constructed through substantial central government funding, are bound by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ (MoRTH) stringent specifications. The indiscriminate and unauthorised construction of speed breakers represents a clear violation of these national standards, potentially compromising the structural integrity of the roadways and certainly undermining their intended purpose of facilitating high-speed, seamless travel. Desai’s observation that such haphazard placement of speed breakers is conspicuously absent in his extensive travels across numerous other Indian states further highlights the anomalous and potentially negligent situation prevailing on Goa’s national highways.
The state government, acknowledging the validity of Desai’s repeated complaints to MoRTH, had previously directed the PWD to undertake a time-bound removal of all rumbler strips and speed breakers falling under their jurisdiction. The continued existence of these obstructions despite these official directives has compelled Desai to seek recourse from other authoritative bodies, culminating in the petition to the GHRC. The GHRC’s decisive action in demanding a report signifies a growing concern over the potential human cost of this administrative lapse. The presence of illegal speed breakers not only poses a safety risk to all commuters but also critically impedes the timely movement of emergency services, potentially jeopardising lives. This situation underscores the urgent need for a paradigm shift in infrastructure management, prioritising adherence to national safety standards and adopting sustainable, technology-driven solutions for traffic management that do not compromise the efficiency and safety of essential transportation networks. The outcome of the GHRC’s inquiry and the PWD’s response will be closely watched, as it has significant implications for road safety and the future of sustainable and efficient mobility in the state.
Goa Highways Under Scrutiny for Illegal Speed Breakers
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