Post list of authorised, unauthorised speed breakers online: HC to Delhi govt

New Delhi: The city government has been directed by the Delhi High Court to post online a list of all speed breakers on the city's roads and called for forming a panel to ensure removal of illegal ones.

Keeping in view the interest of citizens, the court said that monitoring of the issue concerning unauthorised speed breakers should be done in an "overall and consistent manner".

A bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and Chander Shekhar was informed that out of 929 speed breakers on Delhi roads, 589 are authorised and 340 are unauthorised.

Additional Standing Counsel of Delhi Police and Public Works Department, Naushad Ahmed Khan filed a status report of traffic police containing list of nodal officers and copy of minutes of the meeting convened by the Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic).

The bench noted that the report was silent on a letter which authorised such speed breakers and said that list of authorisation should be provided by the Delhi Police to each of the agencies concerned.

It said the report of the surveys was incomplete as all roads are not covered.

The bench directed constituting a committee that will meet from time to time and review the situation. It will be chaired by an officer not below the rank of principal secretary of the Delhi government.

The panel shall also consist of one representative of all the local authorities-- three MCDs, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Delhi Cantonment Board and DDA and one member from Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) and one member not below the rank of special commissioner in Police.

"The special body/committee shall meet at frequent intervals and collect data and also ensure that unauthorised speed breakers in terms of the location as well as the dimensions are appropriately removed within the time-frame indicated with regard to each of the localities/zones," the court said.

It also asked the committee to prepare a status report and file it in the court in two months and directed the Chief Secretary of Delhi Government to take action and constitute the panel in two weeks.

"The Delhi government is hereby directed to place online the list of all authorised/unauthorised speed breakers and also link it with the relative orders.

"The government shall also place on its website through an appropriate link these details along with the authorisation as well as specifications by the concerned IRC (Indian Road Congress) and other special agencies, who set the standards with respect to such matters i.E. Speed breakers," the bench said and listed the matter for November 15.

The court's direction came during hearing of PILs filed by advocate Rajiv Singh and NGO, Guru Hanuman Society of India, claiming that the city's civic agencies, including NDMC have allowed construction of speed breakers without complying with guidelines of the IRC and the Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure Centre.

The court had in May and August last year directed the agencies maintaining roads in the national capital for removal of all speed breakers not approved by the traffic police and which do not conform to the prescribed norms.

Thereafter, it had told the traffic police that all speed breakers, both authorised and unauthorised, on Delhi roads must be geotagged and their location marked by GPS.

It had also asked the authorities to make public aware that if they need a speed breaker they have to approach the traffic police and not take law into their hands by making one themselves.

The authorities were also asked to ensure that signages regarding speed breakers and U-turns are put "to warn drivers" in advance and "aid in reducing accidents".