Novel ‘3D’ speedbreakers slowing motorists down, says BMC

A recently-completed 3D speedbreaker—Photo: Special Arrangement

Two new speedbreakers in suburban Vile Parle and Marol are catching motorists’ eyes, making them slow down well before they actually hit the bump. Their way they have been designed to appear much larger, giving approaching motorists the illusion of a much larger obstacle.

Assistant municipal commissioner of K-East ward (the eastern regions of Jogeshwari, Andheri and Vile Parle) Devendra Jain is elated by the month-long experiment, and took time to speak to The Hindu about the ‘three-dimensional’ concept, although he is on leave and busy with arrangements for his daughter’s wedding.

“I had seen the concept during one of my visits to Gujarat, as well as during cricket matches where the three dimensional imagery is used by multinational soft drink brands to give a raised imaging of their brand,” Jain said. The concept was tried out by two enterprising women in one of Ahmedabad’s busiest areas, and Jain caught on to the idea, simply because of the potential it held for public safety. “We called upon four painters and sculptors,. and were provided a demonstration of the concept by one of them, a Mr Pednekar if I’m not mistaken.”

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had on Tuesday revealed on Twitter, “We are trying out 3D paintings used as virtual speedbreakers to avoid unnecessary requirements of speedbreakers.”

The 3D speed breaker is conventional in design, but it uses a superior quality coloured tar and a pattern that highlights the presence of the bump on the road for approaching motorists from a good distance.

A month ago, Vile Parle’s bustling Hanuman Road got its first such speedbreaker and then Marol got one too. Both have been well received says Jain.

“Earlier, speeding motorcyclists and even cars would register the presence of the speed breaker on the stretch of road too late, to the detriment of their backs, due to the sudden bump their vehicle experienced when they negotiated the bump on the road. Even pedestrians, especially senior citizens, were wary of crossing the road at the crucial junction due to speeding vehicles.”

Since the setting up of the 3D speedbreakers, two wheelers have been slowing down well before they hit the road bumps. The innovative technology, which is not much costlier than conventional speedbreakers, has proven successful so far.