48 accident-prone zones in Mumbai to undergo makeover, BMC floats tender
These locations include Amar Mahal Junction, Sion Circle Junction, King Circle Junction, Haji Ali Junction, and Mahim Junction, among others.
The 48 locations that have been identified by BMC are key areas that record heavy vehicular footfall. (File Photo) The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Monday floated a Rs 22-crore tender to mitigate 48 accident-prone zones, popularly known as black spots, in the city.
According to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, a blind spot or black spot is a 500-metre stretch in a state or national highway or urban road where five serious road crashes are reported within a period of three years or any spot where 10 or more accident-related deaths were reported within a three-year period.
Under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS), the World Resources Institute (WRI) India, and the Global Designing Cities Initiative conducted a survey of the high-risk intersections in 2021–2022.
Their report, along with other design consultants, recommended design changes and supported the redesign of 48 black spots in the city.
The 48 locations that have been identified by BMC are key areas that record heavy vehicular footfall, including the Amar Mahal Junction, intersection of Eastern Express Highway (EEH) and Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), Sion Circle Junction, King Circle Junction, Sakinaka Junction (Andheri East), Haji Ali Junction, Mith Chowky (Malad), Bindoo Madhav Thackeray Junction (Worli), Mahim Junction, and Chheda Nagar Junction, among other spots.
During the survey, civic officials said, it was found that most of these roads had uneven surfaces and didn’t have adequate space for pedestrians to walk.
For instance, at the Mahim Junction, several portions of the road surface are excavated and uneven, posing a serious threat to motorists. As a result, as part of the mitigation measure, the BMC will be laying concrete on the excavated portions of the road to make the surface even. Further, the mitigation measures also include applying thermoplastic road signage and yellow and black paint on the dividers as part of the road safety mechanism.
“Improving the existing condition of these locations is of utmost priority since they record a high number of deaths and injuries compared to other locations in the city. We are introducing design changes at these locations to reduce the number of crashes and save lives,” an official told The Indian Express.
The official also maintained that to reduce the number of crashes, fatalities, and serious injuries, and make the junctions safe to navigate, the civic body will be widening pedestrian crossings and sidewalks, and traffic rumbles and speed breakers will also be introduced in all 48 locations to keep a check on speeding vehicles, among others.
“The transformation will make the existing roads safer for all users, reduce conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles, and streamline the flow of traffic,” the official added.
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