Safety and comfort on Indian Expressways still a distant dream | 6 Reasons
PuneNow, June 13, 2023: The construction of Indian expressways has been the nation’s focal point in recent years. Despite allocating billions of rupees to develop these superhighways, achieving safety and comfort on Indian Expressways remain pressing concerns.
Alarmingly, the average speed on Indian roads is distressingly low and the accident rates have not decreased as expected. Today, motorists find themselves paying elevated tolls without observing improved driving conditions. Even though the quantitative and qualitative improvements in roads are evident, they have failed to enhance the overall driving experience. So, what’s the obstacle to achieving safety and comfort on Indian expressways?
The Roadblocks to Enhancing Safety and Comfort on Indian Expressways
The answer to this predicament lies in a series of problems that can’t be resolved merely by constructing more roads.
1. Lane Discipline: The Highway’s Nemesis
Lack of lane discipline is the primary issue on Indian roads. Heavy vehicles often dominate all lanes, inhibiting traffic flow. Truck drivers, often inadequately trained and prone to aggressive behavior, leave motorists with no choice but to endure traffic build-up.
2. Neglected Maintenance of Commercial Vehicles
Commercial vehicles, both passenger and goods carriers, are often poorly maintained. Owners view these vehicles primarily as revenue sources and invest little in their upkeep. This neglect renders many vehicles unfit for the road, posing a considerable risk for accidents and breakdowns.
3. Mismanaged Toll System
Many Indian highways are tolled, with private contractors hired to collect tolls and maintain the roads. Unfortunately, the attention of these stakeholders is skewed towards revenue collection rather than improving the motorist experience and safety.
4. Indiscipline Among Personal Vehicle Drivers
Over-speeding, frequent lane cutting, and unnecessary stopping on expressways are common among personal vehicle drivers. These issues necessitate stricter monitoring, penalties, and a significant emphasis on sensitization about highway discipline.
5. Overloaded Goods Vehicles: A Choking Point
Overloading of goods vehicles is another rampant issue. These vehicles, unable to handle even the slightest gradients, slow down significantly on slopes, leading to traffic congestion.
6. The Unfinished Tale of Indian Highways
A significant portion of Indian highways remains unfinished. While major stretches may be well-maintained, exit points and intersections are often left incomplete, causing bottlenecks that negate expressway benefits.
Also read – Road Trip Checklist That Helps To Plan Your Journey Like A Pro
Achieving Safety and Comfort on Indian Expressways: A Collective Responsibility
Addressing these issues requires concerted efforts from all stakeholders responsible for managing and maintaining our highways. Without such effort, the improved quantity and quality of highways will remain mere showpiece statistics.
The darker side of statistics also reveals grim figures of fatalities, accidents, and delays on our highways. The road to achieving safety and comfort on Indian expressways is long, but every journey begins with a step.
Do you believe there are other issues that need addressing in this context? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. Together, we can contribute to making our highways safer and our journeys smoother.
