PCMC finally wakes up, picks rumbler strips over ‘deadly’ speed-breakers

Pimpri-Chinchwad’s Municipal Commissioner Rajeev Jadhav told The Indian Express that his administration had decided to set up rumbler strips on all roads instead of speed-breakers. “Since there are growing complaints about speed-breakers, we have decided to go in for rumbler strips, which look like a better option,” he said.

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Jadhav said his administration had indeed been rattled by the death of the youngster. “I have held a couple of meetings with all my officials regarding making roads safer in Pimpri-Chinchwad. Ensuring that two-wheelers don’t feel threatened while riding is part of our road safety plan. For this purpose, we will experiment with rumbler strips.”

The PCMC chief said while the existing speed-breakers would be removed in a phase-wise manner, the new ones will take the form of rumbler strips. “Currently, we are carrying out experiments as to what kind of rumbler strips to be set up on roads. Earlier, when rumbler strips were tried, they did lead to slowing down of vehicles. Now, we will ensure that while vehicles are slowed down due to rumbler strips, even unsuspecting riders do not fall down,” he said.
Jadhav said once they were confident of the right kind of rumbler strips, the work of laying them will begin. “We will set up model rumbler strips across the town.”

Residents, however, doubt whether PCMC is serious about its action. Suresh Pujari, a resident of Pradhikaran, said, “PCMC does not do what is promises. In Pradhikaran, Akurdi and Chinchwad area, the exit and entry speed-breakers set up last month are dangerous. The vehicle tilts on both sides as you pass over them.”

The PCMC chief said he would look into this complaint.

Meanwhile, the PMC continues to take its time to put proper speed-breakers in place in Pune city. PMC’s joint city engineer Vivek Kharwadkar had told this paper that they needed some time before deciding on the kind of speed-breakers Pune city would have. “We will soon come out with a policy on speed-breakers,” he had said, but there is still no sign of it.