Mumbai: These are city’s top 20 deadliest spots for citizens

A study has identified 20 black spots across Mumbai roads and recommended solutions to make them safe. The key problems at these sites include encroached footpaths causing spillage of pedestrians on the roads, illegal parking, inadequate signage and missing road markings, according to the study conducted by IIT-B in collaboration with NGO United Way Mumbai and government machineries. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay collaborated with United Way Mumbai, the state transport department and the Traffic Control Branch, Mumbai, to conduct a speed observation at the 20 spots.

The study, titled ‘Slow Down', identified various problems of enforcement--only seven out of 20 spots have signs specifying speed limits; critical road signage such as ‘speed limit', ‘crash prone spot' and ‘merging section ahead' are missing at 11 locations; and are inappropriately placed at two locations. At seven locations, there were issues of side friction due to illegal roadside parking. Moreover, pedestrians were found walking on the road instead of footpaths at seven spots due to encroachment, the study stated. On the road engineering front, the study pointed to missing or faded road/lane markings at 17 locations; poor visibility at night at three locations; inadequate road signage at 11 locations; potential conflict points at merging sections at six locations.

Solutions to consider

The study recommended deployments of traffic wardens, removal of hawkers, increased CCTV surveillance and curbing illegal parking to address the problems at all the 20 sites. The possible corrective measures in engineering include installation of signboards, painting road markings, creating/controlling pedestrian walkways with advance signs and zebra crossings. It recommended installing ‘accident prone spot' boards at all 20 locations--one at least 50 meters ahead of the spot and another at the spot; constructing speed humps and rumble strips wherever missing.

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Pedestrian crossing and speed limit signs and road markings are missing at City Bakery, Ghaffar Khan bridge, at Worli Naka. File pic

A continuous stretch of well-maintained footpath is needed to discourage the pedestrians walking on the carriageway where the chances of conflicts are high, the study stated. Potholes and rutting (grooves) should be removed, and medians should be repainted with retro-reflective paint to improve visibility at night. Also, smoothen the uneven road surface approaching the flyovers, it suggested.

Speeding a major risk

"The study has taken an evidence-based approach towards road safety interventions. Along with scientific assessments, we have leveraged our expertise in community mobilisation to ensure a sense of ownership among local stakeholders towards road safety," said George Aikara, the CEO of United Way Mumbai.

"Speeding, one of the main risk factors leading to road crashes, is the focal point of this study... Base line speed surveys were then carried out in 2019 using radar guns at the black spots to capture the spot speed of different classes of vehicles," Professor P Vedagiri, associate dean, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT-B, who was a part of the study.

Haji Ali junction is one of the 20 spots that need immediate attention. File Pic/Ashish Raje

Officials Speak

"While the actual scope of the study was limited to certain spots in Mumbai city, the methodology and approach adopted is certainly scalable and can be replicated at the larger level for improving speed management," Jitendra Patil, additional transport commissioner, Maharashtra, said.

"The report will prove useful in enforcing stricter speed management policies at the identified black spots. We will join hands with the Road Safety Advocacy clubs formed by United Way Mumbai during this project and our officers will continue to work hand-in-hand with them to improve road safety in their neighbourhoods," Pravin Padwal, the joint commissioner of police (traffic) said.

The 20 black spots

>> Location 1: Eastern Express Highway, Near Ramabai Nagar Bus Stop, Near Sainagar Nala, Retiwala, Ghatkopar East
>> Location 2: Chheda Nagar and SCLR Bridge, Chheda Nagar, Bus Stop, Chembur East
>> Location 3: Towards sea link, Mahim Causeway junction, Near Bandra Chowkie, U-bridge, Western Express Highway, Bandra West
>> Location 4: Haji Ali junction
>> Location 5: City Bakery, Ghaffar Khan bridge, at Worli Naka
>> Location 6: In front of Sane Guruji Udyan, near Siddhivinayak Temple, Prabhadevi
>> Location 7: Opposite Sarswati Vidhya Mandir,Near Mahim Phatak, Senapati Bapat Road, Mahim
>> Location 8: Meghdoot Bridge, opposite Islam Gymkhana, NS Road, Marine Lines
>> Location 9: Barrister Nath Pai Road, Church signal, Canara Bank, In front of ATM, near Dockyard Station, Mazgaon
>> Location 10: Y Junction, Sion Bandra Link Road, Dharavi
>> Location 11: CST bridge, Near Kurla Bus Depot, Kurla West
>> Location 12: Shimpoli Naka Link Road, Shimpoli Gorai Road, near Shimpoli chowkie, Borivli West
>> Location 13: Near Sanjay Gandhi National Park gate, under flyover, Borivli East
>> Location 14: Near Metro mall, north-bound Magathane Depot, bridge junction, near Annex Mall, WEH, Borivli East
>> Location 15: Durga Nagar junction, JVLR, Jogeshwari
>> Location 16: Opposite Akbar Ali, Umarshi Bappa Chowk, Near Guru Prasad Bar, Sion Trombay Road, Chembur
>> Location 17: Amar Mahal junction, towards Thane, starting of Amar Mahal bridge
>> Location 18: Godrej Ghoda Gate signal, Thane-Mumbai way, Vikhroli East
>> Location 19: Near Airoli toll naka, before Airoli bridge, Thane-Mumbai Way, Airoli-Mulund Road
>> Location 20: Opposite IIT Bombay Main gate, IIT Bombay signal, Powai

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No of spots where speed limit signs are missing