PolicyforRoadSafetyinRuralRoads

Prof.B.P.Chandrasekhar
TechnicalAdvisor,APSRRDA,GoAP
Formerly,Director(Tech),NRRDA,MoRD,
GoI
Email:sekharbpc@gmail.com

NeedforRoadsafetyManagement
Road accidents are mounting year after year becoming a
causeofconcerntoallstakeholders.
Recentlyavailabledatarevealsthatanestimated1.3million
peoplearekilledaroundtheglobeandanother50millionare
injured in road accidents. Many of those involved in serious
accidentsremaindisabledforlifeandbecomeliabilitytotheir
families.
Roadaccidentsarethemajorcauseofdeathofyoungpeople
intheagegroup1529years.
The global financial cost of road traffic injuries works out to
US$518billion
Low and middle income countries account for 85% of globle
deathsfromroadtrafficcrashes.
InIndiaabout41%ofthefatalitiesarepedestrians,cyclistsand
twowheelerriders.

CausativeFactorsfortheAccidents

Road
Roaduser
Vehicle
Environment

9 Literature indicates that 6575 % of the road

accidentsaredue to HUMANError.
9 Hence,thetargettotheactionplanforminimising
accidentistheROADUSERmostly.

CommonlyKnownReasons
o IgnoranceofTrafficRulesindriving.
o Notbeingtrainedscientifically.
o Intoleranceandshorttemper.
o Lack of awareness to deal with
situations that arise suddenly in the
trafficsteam.
o Attitude for rule breaking rather than
adheringtorulesoftheroad.

AccidentPreventionStrategy

CharacteristicsTrafficonRuralRoads
Normally the traffic coming on to the rural roads is
eithergeneratedtrafficorconvertedtraffic.
Drivers and other road users lack exposure and
awareness of rules and regulations or dangers
associatedwithtrafficmovement.
WhenruralroadsaredirectlyconnectedtoNHorSH,
thedriversareignorantaboutmerginganddiverging
process,increasingtheriskofaccidentoccurrence.
Manyatimethedriversarenotformallytrained.
The traffic composition differs from that of other
higherorderroads

RuralRoadsSafetyConcerns
Since Rural Roads are generally carry low
volumes of traffic and accident rates are
presently low, Safety issues mainly are with
respecttotheDesignandConstructionfeatures.
Further, Road Safety consciousness of local
residentsbecomeessential

EngineeringMeasures
Alignment Design with due consideration to
the terrain, obligatory points and the design
speed.
Examinetheconstraints,ifanyandadjustthe
design, providing the required information to
theroadusers.
Providing necessary road furniture for guiding
thetraffic
Rechecking the geometrics before grounding
thework

EngineeringMeasures(cond..)
Checkingthegeometricsateachstageofwork
process.
Preparing alternate designs, if unforeseen
ground conditions are encountered during
constructioninanyparticularstretch.
Continue construction as per the design with
frequentchecks.
Carryout trail runs on the new facility before
openingtotheregulartraffic.

TheStrategyadoptedinPMGSY
DPRs are prepared as per a specially designed template with
thefollowingdetailingkeepingsafetyasaprimaryparameter
Planning and basic design considerations capturing the
inventorydetailsalongastrip,notingthefeaturesoneitherside
of the centre line of the proposed road. Digital photographs
taken for every 100m and further at any special feature like a
junction, culvert, curves etc. This is followed by coming with
preliminary design proposals that would require data to be
collectedduringtheinvestigations.
Definingthedesignspeedandassociatedgeometricparameters
.
Alignmentdesigncoveringallparametersinthehorizontaland
verticalplanes.

StrategyadoptedinPMGSY(Contd)
Traffic Safety and management issues are given special
emphasis for designing a safe road. Particular attention is
giventodesignofjunctionsandcurves.
Environmentalconcernsaretakennoteofandattendedto.
DPRs ,thuspreparedaresubjectedtoseriesofchecksbythe
senior officers of the Executing Agency before forwarding
themtoanIndependentThirdPartyAuditie StateTechnical
Agency(STA).
The STAs, normally reputed Engineering Institutions, check
the DPRs for optimal design, appropriate provisions,
includingthesafetyrequirementsoftheroadandapprove
theDPRs online
THIS PROCESS ENSURES SAFETY ON THE PROPOSED RURAL
ROAD , INCLUDING THE SAFETY AUDIT AT THE DESIGN
STAGE

StrategyadoptedinPMGSY
SafetyAuditDuringConstruction
During the progress of construction, the First and Second Tiers of
Quality Management System of PMGSY ensure that the design and
provisions made in the DPR are translated on to the ground. In case
anydeficiencyisnoticed,immediatecorrectivemeasuresaretakenand
thusSafetyisensured.
During construction stage it self , Independent third party
engineersviz NationalQualityMonitors(NQMs )inspecttheroadand
examine all the elements and provisions. If any deficiency is noticed,
theygivethemonthespotinwriting.Basedontheobservations,the
executive agency has to give an Action Taken Report (ATR) duly
attendingtotheobservationsandtherectificationscarriedout togeta
satisfactorygradeforthework.
Thus, Traffic Safety is ensured wrt. Engineering Measures under
PMGSY

RuralRoadSafety provisionsinthe
PMGSYGuidelines
At the central level safety issues will be addressed
through coordination with ROAD SAFETY MISSION of
MoRT&H.
Atthestate,theStateQualityCoordinator(SQC)at
SRRDA level and DPIU at the District level shall be
tasked by the State Govt. to coordinate with State
Level Road Safety mechanisms and programs, in
particular through membership of the State Road
Safety Council and District Road safety Committees
respectively, created as per the provisions of
section215oftheMVact,1988.

ProvisionsinthePMGSYGuidelines(Contd)
AsapartofRuralRoadsDevelopmentandmaintenance
programs , the State Govts. shall ensure ROAD SAFETY
AUDITofPMGSYworksalongwithQualitymonitoring.It
shall also ensure adequate involvement of Panchayat
Raj Institutions in road safety Awareness Programs.
Awareness raising activities, including publication of
pamphlets,AudioVisuals,InteractiveProgramsetc.will
be funded on the basis of annual proposals to be
forwarded for the clearance of the Empowered
Committee,alongwithroadproposals.

ThankYou

EngineeringMeasuresinDesignPhase

Rural roads have to necessarily have a tortuous path, keeping in

view the narrow land width available. All the same, the horizontal
curvesshouldbedesignedscientifically,conformingtotheselected
design speed and terrain. The horizontal curves must be provided
withsmoothtransitioncurvesandsuperelevation.Thepavements
shouldbewidenedatcurves.
The vertical profile of the road should be designed such that the
required minimum stopping sight distance is available. Suitable
summitandvalleycurvesshouldbeprovided.
Inhillroads,blindcurvesareasafetyhazard.Suitablevision berms
maybecutatsuchlocations.
Passingplacesmustbeprovidedatconvenientlocationsparticularly
onhillroads.
Theprovisionofruralconnectivityleadstotheintroductionof bus
services.Properlydesignedbusbaysmustbeprovidedatbusstop
toensurethatthebusesdonothamperthenormaltraffic.

EngineeringMeasuresinDesignPhase(Cont..)
Where the roads pass through habitations and school, it is
necessary that the motorized vehicles travel at low speeds. This
canbeensuredbyprovidingadequatelydesignedroadhumpsor
rumblestrips.
Thejunctionofruralroadswithamainroadisalwaysapointof
conflict and an accidentprone zone. Such junctions must be
designedscientificallybyprovidingminimumturningradii,flaring
of the side road with taper, acceleration/deceleration lanes and
adequatesightdistances.
Ramps must be provided where field paths and cattle crossings
intersecttheroad.
Traffic signages, incorporating warning and regulatory signs, can
enhanceroadsafety,especiallynearhabitationsandschoolzones,
sharpcurves,narrowbridges,junctions,submersiblebridgesand
causeways.Thedesignmustincorporatethese.

EngineeringMeasuresinDesignPhase(Cont..)
Hazard markers like reflectorised delineaters must be
providedatdangerouslocations.
Submersiblebridgesandcausewaysshouldbeprovided
with water depth gauges and guideposts that shall
remainatalltimesabovethehighestwaterlevel.
300mm dia ducts should be provided in the
embankmenttoenablecultivatorstothreadagricultural
wise pipes for irrigating their fields lying on both sides
oftheroad.

SafetyDuringConstructionOr
MaintenanceOperation
Constructionzonescreateanenvironmentwheretheroad
user is confronted with sudden obstacles and unfamiliar
conditions.Safetyinconstructionzonesmustbeenhanced
by:
Warning the road users (in the appropriate language)
clearlyandsufficientlyinadvance
Providing safe and clearly marked lanes for guiding road
users
Providingsafeandclearlymarkedbufferzonesandwork
zones
o Barricades, drums, traffic cones, cylinders and signs around
workzones

SafetyDuringConstructionOr
MaintenanceOperation(Cont)
o Flagmenwithredflagspositionedtoregulateandwarntheroad
users.
o Using construction machinery carefully and parking such
machineryatlocationswheretheyarenottraffichazards.
o Stacking construction materials such that only the quantity
needed for one operation is stacked along the road, and
obstructiontoroadusersisminimized.
o Providing well designed temporary diversions as necessary so
that the essential traffic moves with the least hindrance. The
Contractor shall be asked to provide these as part of his work.
The bidding document and specifications shall elaborate these
requirements.

RoadSafetyDuringUse
TheHeadofPIUwillbetheDistrictRuralRoadsSafetyOfficer(DRRSO).
ToensureoperationalsafetytheDRRSOshallensurethat
Routinemaintenanceofruralroadsareregularlycarriedout.
Allsafetyissuesoutofmaintenanceinspectionareproperlyaddressed.
In all cases of accidents and inquiry/investigation thereof, safety issues
are resolved, and a report is made to the SQC for examination whether
standarddesignfeaturesneedtobeincorporatedinotherruralroads.
All resolutions of Panchayats regarding safety issues are acknowledged
andactionproposed/takenintimatedtothePanchayat.
Roadsafetyawarenesscampsareorganised involvingPanchayats,School,
Rural road users (inhabitants as well as drivers), in accordance with
programmes drawnupbytheStateQualityCoordinator.

RoadSafetyDuringUse(Cont..)
TheStateQualityCoordinatorwillbetheStateRuralRoad
SafetyOfficerandshallensure:
AdequatecoordinationwiththeStateRoadSafetyCouncil
androadsafetyprogrammes.
Formulation of rural road safety awareness programme
proposals(forfundingunderPMGSY).
Implementation and coordination of rural road safety
awarenessprogrammes inthefield.
HoldquarterlymeetingwithDRRSOandtakefeedbackfor
improvingsafetystandards.