Zipping through Karnataka's highways? CAG report makes you think twice

Zooming on top speed on any high-speed highway of Karnataka could be a perilous journey. According to the performance audit of the Karnataka State Road Safety Authority (KSRSA) by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India most of the highways not only lack crash barriers but were also fitted with defective barriers resulting in 1,245 accidents in the last five years, killing 455 people on the spot and grievously injuring 2,500 people.

The report pointed out that as per the guidelines of the Indian Road Congress (IRC), “Crash barriers or traffic safety barriers shall be provided on high-speed highways to prevent vehicles from falling off the road in case of crashes.” The report also revealed that usually barriers are provided along with the steep grades, road sections with sharp curves, approaches to bridges with restricted roadway and similar stretches.

However, out of the 253 highway stretches that were inspected for crash barriers, 168 stretches had no such system in place despite revealing 639 hazardous locations. “The crash barriers were either not provided or found defective/damaged thereby not serving the intended road safety purposes,” the report pointed out.

Also Read | Bengaluru roads most hazardous in Karnataka, says CAG report

The horrific accident that occurred at Kanakanamaradi village of Mandya district on 24 November 2018 killing 30 people on the spot after a private bus fell into the Visvesvaraya canal was also due to the absence of a crash barrier and faulty design of the road.

According to the report, in all the 1,245 accident cases, the vehicles either fell into the roadside ditch, pits, lakes or lower service road or drainages as there were no barriers to prevent these vehicles from falling.

Similarly, in some of the stretches where barriers were installed, the parapet walls were found to be hazardous due to reflective stickers not being fitted on them or not being painted. In some of the cases, the walls had just broken or dismantled completely according to the report.

What is even more shocking is that these hazards had remained without rectification as the road managing authorities did not consider them as potential black spots for rectification.

“It was only after the audit pointed out these stretches, the KSRSA responded saying that the authorities have been instructed to take necessary action to rectify the defects,” the CAG report pointed out.

Check out latest DH videos here