Unmarked speed breakers across Nashik are creating a road-safety hazard for motorists, particularly two-wheeler riders, as the Nashik Municipal Corporation prepares to add white stripes and reflectors by March or April 2027.
Motorists say the absence of visible markings, reflectors and blinkers makes speed breakers difficult to detect, especially after dark. Riders unfamiliar with a road are often forced to brake suddenly after spotting a bump, increasing the risk of losing balance, colliding with another vehicle or damaging their two-wheelers.
A recent accident near Upnagar on Pune Road highlighted the danger. Around noon on November 13, an elderly woman travelling pillion on a scooter driven by her son was injured near the T-junction leading towards Jai Bhavani Road through Jetwen Nagar. When the scooter slowed at a speed breaker, another biker crashed into it from behind. Both riders were injured and the scooter was damaged. Upnagar police registered a case of rash driving against the second biker.
Residents have also raised concerns about oversized speed breakers on several stretches. Krushna Wagh, a resident of Jail Road, said motorists often apply sudden brakes after seeing an unmarked speed breaker, which can lead to accidents and disputes between commuters.
Road-safety data cited in the report indicates that between 160 and 180 people die in road accidents in Nashik every year. Two-wheeler riders account for most of the fatalities, making the visibility and maintenance of traffic-calming measures especially important for the city’s daily commuters.
The NMC expanded speed-reduction measures at several locations after a crash at Mirchi Hotel Chowk on October 8, 2022, killed 13 bus passengers. However, routine maintenance of the structures and their markings has remained inconsistent, according to motorists.
Traffic branch officials said roads across Nashik are currently being repaired and redeveloped ahead of the upcoming Kumbh Mela. They said fresh road markings, including white stripes and reflectors on speed breakers, are expected to be completed by March or April next year. The proposed work is intended to make the traffic-calming measures more visible to motorists as road improvement activity continues across the city.
