Speedbreakers are back-breakers; paint them or demolish them!

The absense of illegal speedbreakers, and the absence of white stripes on both legal and illegal humps across Bengaluru is a nightmare to vehicle users, particularly at night. And this happens on ultra-busy thoroughfares like Outer Ring Road. While the Traffic Engineering (TEC) department of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanaragara Palike (BBMP) blamed the lack of funds earlier, now they are promising to paint the stripes after they are done with zebra crossings at major intersections across the city. 

“We will finish the work within 15 days in all the arterial and sub arterial roads,” says Praveen Lingaiah, Executive Engineer (TEC), BBMP. “We are in touch with the traffic police, and will fix the speedbreakers whose stripes have also worn off due to the rains.”

Regarding speedbreakers on 30 feet roads in residential areas, Praveen clarified that they are not taken up by the TEC. “You have to check the department that laid the road as they are responsible for painting the speedbreakers… we are only involved with high density corridors and roads that are usually bus routes. We are also not responsible for fixing illegal speedbreakers as those are generally done by the residents themselves in an unscientific manner that is more dangerous than beneficial.”

According to BBMP officials, many speedbreakers requested by the residents are uncalled for. “Just because there is one accident, the residents demand a speedbreaker,” said one official. “This is quite dangerous, particularly on busy roads as that will lead to traffic slowdown.”

The officials also pointed out that the speedbreakers that lack the white stripes are usually not done by the BBMP, and even if they are, the rains usually play spoilsport. “These speedbreakers are back-breaking,” said one BBMP official himself. “But the lack of proper funds and supervision, and the lackadaisical attitude of TEC officials are responsible for the current mess. The residents and the media have to continue pressuring the BBMP to take action.”

When BBMP Commissioner BH Anil Kumar was apprised of the matter, he said the aggrieved citizens should file a formal complaint on the BBMP Sahaya app with the right geo-location. However, the residents complain that most of their online requests don’t get resolved, and dubbed the app as a major sham. Therefore, we hope that this media report should galvanise the authorities to prioritise the demolition of illegal speedbreakers, paint the legal humps, and erect speedbreakers where required.