Why not a better
road network in India?
Vanam Jwala
Narasimha Rao
The Hans India
(16-10-2016)
No concerted effort
worth mentioning appears to have been initiated either by the Government of
India or the National Highways Authorities of India to overcome the
deficiencies in the highways road network. The poor riding quality, inadequate
carriageway width, un-metalled road length, un-bridged crossings, inadequate
crust thickness, inadequate road boundaries on high ways, inadequate marking,
display boards and shoulders, lack of parking places on high ways etc are the
unfortunate features of our national highways.
Recently I had been
to USA for the fourth time and unlike in the previous trips I toured
extensively and in the process had an opportunity to understand the roadway and
highway network.
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Driving or
traveling on American High-Ways is very interesting, exciting and at times if
not careful, may be highly risky too. Vehicles of all types move in different
lanes - minimum four on either side - with not less than a speed of 55 to 65
miles (above 100 kilometers) per hour. Some may even drive with more speed but
control and reduce the speed automatically whenever they suspect that a police
patrolling van is likely to be behind or ahead of them.
Like in India,
where they are named as, National High-Ways, connecting different states, in
USA, they are known as ‘Inter-State’ Roads. In India, they are numbered as NH
1, NH 2 and so on. In USA too they are numbered but are done in a different fashion
and numbers keep changing from the border of the entering state. For instance,
while travelling from a place in ‘A’ state to another place in ‘C’ state
passing through ‘B’ state, the interstate road from A to B is given one number,
and that of from B to C an another number.
The Interstate roads of North-South/South-North directions have always odd
numbers and that of East-West/West-East have even numbers.
Very wide Road-
Dividers separate the high ways converting them into a mere one-way traffic
drives and as a result there will be no
vehicle coming from opposite direction at any point of time and place. It is
thus totally ensured, that, there shall not be any ‘head-on-collision’
accidents on the high-ways. The chances of other type of accidents are also
minimum and almost negligible. But if at all an accident takes place it would
be ‘major’. In fact there would be only “Crashes’ but not collision type
accidents.
On the interstate
roads there would be, two or three ‘channels’ or ‘Pass ways’ in either
direction for the vehicles to move and depending on the speed with which they
move, they get in to that particular channel. Everywhere ‘boards’ are displayed
cautioning “ALWAYS KEEP RIGHT-EXCEPT TO PASS” indicating that only when the
driver intend to overtake the vehicle moving in front of his vehicle, he should
chose the next left channel ‘to pass’. This exercise also has to be carried very
carefully and without slightest inconvenience to others. In any vehicle, as per
the laws, both the driver and the one who sits in the front right seat have to
tighten the seat-belts as a safety measure failing which it is an offence and
for every offence the one who sits in the driving seat is responsible. All
vehicles are ‘left hand driven’ and to drive on right side of the road.
In America, when
fined by police it is referred as issue of ‘Ticket’ by police. Whenever a
person driving the vehicle is caught for any offence within the state, where
the vehicle is registered and where he obtains driving license, it is simply
entered on the ‘driving license’, by awarding some punishment points. If caught
else where it will be in the form of ‘fine’ which will be heavy under proper
acknowledgement. Depending upon the number of offences or traffic violations
and consequent points entered the punishment is decided including cancellation
of license. Once the driving license is withdrawn it becomes very difficult to
get it renewed. Driving vehicle after consumption of alcohol is a major offence
and seldom one drives in that condition.
While driving on
the high-way, if any traffic violation is noticed, then, the patrolling police
vehicle signals you from behind and all that the driver has to do is to take
the vehicle to the adjacent ‘shoulder’ lane and just stop. ‘Shoulder’ lanes are
found on either side of the high-way all along the road, which are lesser in
width than the actual pass ways, and are meant only for ‘parking’ the vehicles whenever
it is required, either due to break down or otherwise. The driver need not get
down the vehicle, and instead the patrolling police officer, moves towards the
vehicle by stepping out from his car and informs the driver of the violation
and the award of ticket follows. No arguments are entertained and no
threatening by the ‘offender’, however influential one might be and no let off
without that. No one else sitting in the vehicle except the driver is allowed
to represent, if anything has to be said. To detect the violations and offences
on the high-way, the police use ‘radar’ and do it very discretely.
All along the
high-way number of ‘Exits’ normally managed by private persons are found. An
exit is meant for stepping out of the main high-way and take the required other
road. There will be ‘gas-exits’ meant for refilling the fuel, ‘food-exits’
meant for refreshments, ‘lodging-exits’ meant for resting over night or for a
while, ‘comfort-exits’ meant for making the traveler comfortable for a while,
‘holiday or camp-exits’ meant for going over to a place for a vacation and
spending a day or two, ‘hospital-exits’ meant for medical facilities and so on.
In addition there will be ‘Exits’ for entering in to a town or city or village
which is numbered as per the mile stones. At the mouth of each type of exit,
one can find a variety of facilities like petrol pumps, canteens, telephone
booths, vendor machines, motels, rest areas etc.
In addition to the
exits, for every 20-30 miles, there will be exclusive ‘Rest Areas’ run by
Government tourism department, meant mainly for answering nature calls. Even
here if someone wants to have some bite or a drink, there will be ‘vendor
machines’ for the purpose. The vendor machine is an instrument, in which some
eatables and cool and hot drinks are placed. The person who needs them, can
have on inserting the required number of currency either in the form of coins
or notes, priced against each item, that are retrieved automatically. When you
do not have change, the balance amount will be returned back through a devise
meant for it.
When one enters in
to an exit, to join the main high-way you need not come back the same way and
instead, ahead of the exit another road will join the high-way. Again it will
be a one way. Similarly if you want to enter in to the exit on the left side of
the highway, then you have to proceed further till you get an exit on right
side and through it should join the main high-way, to get in to the other
direction and to proceed towards the required exit.
Infrastructure Development figures
prominently and figures as the first priority item of any government. Road net
work forms part of infrastructure development and hence it requires meticulous
and utmost care while planning. End
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