99% Speed Breakers in Karnataka Highways 'Unscientific': Public Works Minister

Karnataka Public Works Minister C C Patil on Monday admitted that 99 per cent of speed breakers on the state’s highways and roads are “unscientific”. The Minister said this in the assembly while responding to a question raised by senior Congress MLA K R Ramesh Kumar during question hour, seeking details on authorized roads humps or speed breakers on the 52-km Hoskote-Madikere Cross road and 82-km national highway 234 connecting Mulbagal and Chikkaballapura.

Patil, in his written reply, said the 52-km road has 33 authorized ‘raised pedestrian crossings’ and that 70 out of 84 road humps on NH 234 are unscientific.

Unhappy with the answer, Kumar asked, “Are there any procedures for this? Is there anything-why it should be put and by whom? If there are so many unscientific humps, are there no officials? Why do you lay the roads spending crores?” Questioning whether officers don’t conduct inspections, he demanded that the minister suspend the engineers concerned.

“If you suspend officials, then such speed humps will go….if there are some protests by locals, humps are put…to whom have you given this state to?”

Conceding that road humps have become a menace, Patil said suspending officials was not the solution and that unscientific road humps come up at the behest of locals and at several instances, they get it installed by getting the contractor, in the absence of officials.

“I agree that of all speed breakers, 99 per cent won’t be scientific…with the help of district Deputy Commissioners and Police, we will make all honest efforts to remove unscientific road humps,” he said, adding that this problem was not created overnight.

Further, Kumar questioned Patil as to why he was “not applying his mind” with regard to the road leading to the Kempegowda International Airport.

“You have the police to check speeding. You also allow tempos, auto rickshaws and scooters on the same road. People wanting to catch their flights on time get late,” he said.

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