Dr. Dinesh
Speed breakers are meant to regulate speed, not undermine public confidence in civic administration. Yet in Sri Vijaya Puram, a series of hastily installed humps has done exactly that. With no reflective markings, no warning boards, and no uniformity of height or design, these structures have become everyday hazards rather than safety measures. Motorists are forced into abrupt braking, vehicles scrape their undersides, and pedestrians watch the resulting confusion with concern.
The Indian Roads Congress (IRC) lays down unambiguous rules on where speed breakers may be installed, near schools, hospitals, pedestrian crossings, intersections with poor visibility, and accident-prone zones. Their construction demands uniform dimensions, proper curvature, contrasting paint and advance signage. These norms exist because road safety is a matter of engineering, not improvisation. The proliferation of bumps “every few metres” across ordinary stretches of Sri Vijaya Puram, from Junglighat, Dairy Farm, Nayagaon, RGT Road, Middle Point and Haddo is therefore not just poor planning but a departure from established national standards.
What has unsettled residents further is a troubling pattern they have quietly observed, the removal of these bumps before a VVIP visit, followed by their reinstallation once the convoy has passed. This build–remove–rebuild cycle raises serious questions. If the humps are legal and necessary, why must they be dismantled for protocol? And if they are unsafe or poorly constructed, why impose them on daily commuters? A properly designed, IRC-approved speed breaker does not obstruct emergency and should not require removal at all.
The larger issue here is not the existence of speed breakers but the absence of accountability. Were these humps approved by qualified engineers? was any site assessment conducted? were residents consulted? The silence surrounding these questions reflects a broader pattern of infrastructure being designed and executed without oversight, allowing defects to pass unquestioned.
It is tempting to dismiss a faulty speed breaker as a minor civic irritation. But such lapses reveal something deeper, governance is often weakened not by major scandals, but by small, persistent neglect. Poor planning, waste of public money, and disregard for the everyday commuter all become evident in something as simple as a badly built hump.
Sri Vijaya Puram does not need more bumps; it needs compliance, clarity, and competent planning. A systematic review of the stretch, strict adherence to IRC norms, and transparent corrective action are essential. Road safety cannot depend on ad-hoc decisions. It must be anchored in technical rigour and public welfare.
A speed breaker should slow vehicles, not expose the unevenness of governance. The sooner this is recognised, the safer the roads will be for everyone. In several areas, what is truly needed is not another hump, but a well-painted zebra crossing.