Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has announced its decision to remove all speed breakers across the city’s roads to streamline traffic and address public complaints. This move follows a recent survey that identified 667 speed breakers as unscientific and non-compliant with Indian Road Congress (IRC) standards. Of these, approximately 250 have already been dismantled, and now the remaining will be removed.
With a network of around 2,000 kilometers of roads, speed breakers in Pune were constructed based on requests from local residents and representatives, citing concerns over speeding and accidents. However, most of these structures were built without adhering to IRC guidelines, resulting in inconsistent dimensions such as height, length, and width.
According to the PMC's Road Department, speed breakers have contributed to traffic congestion at many junctions, especially during peak hours. A recent study showed that vehicle speeds during rush hours are as low as 10 to 12 kilometers per hour, and unnecessary speed breakers only worsen the situation.
The absence of standardized data on speed breakers has added to the problem. While the older municipal limits comprise 1,400 kilometers of roads, the addition of 34 villages to the city has increased the road network by another 500 to 600 kilometers. The PMC is conducting a survey to determine the exact number of speed breakers, potholes, and other obstructions, ensuring comprehensive road improvement.
Senior officials have stated that speed breakers will only be installed in specific locations where absolutely necessary. Future decisions regarding speed breakers will be jointly made by traffic police and the Municipal Corporation to avoid ad hoc installations.
