To check the menace of wrong-side driving, the Noida Authority in India installed tyre killers at the sectors 76/77 intersection on Monday. With this, Noida became the first city in National Capital Region and the second city in the country after Pune to experiment with this traffic tool.
Tyre killers are metal stripes installed on roads with sharp spikes on one side. For those driving on the correct side, the spikes would retract and would be nothing more than a small bump, like a speed breaker, on the road. However, for those driving on the wrong side, the spikes can puncture tyres.
Pune was the first city in the country to install such a device in India, but these were removed within a month. The tools became controversial after accidents took place due to vehicles losing balance from getting a flat tyre.
The decision to install the same in Noida, though, was taken after many deliberations. Officials said the design is different this time, they will be safe for vehicles.
“We had to take the initiative even at some risk as wrong side driving was increasing and enforcement was not helping. We have used a new design that is retractable and safer for those driving on the correct side,” Rajeev Tyagi, general manager of Noida Authority, said.
The tyre killers have been specifically designed to take a vehicle load of upto 40 tons. These cost about Rs 17,000 per metre and have been placed across 11 metres on one side of the road. A signage has also been placed warning people of tyre killers ahead.
“These are also retrofitted on the existing road and are mobile. If we see reduced use of wrong-side driving and people following traffic rules, we can uninstall them and use them on another road,” Tyagi said.
He added that retrofitting them will also help keep a check on the risks involved. If they are found to be unsafe, they can be removed immediately. However, Noida Authority as well as traffic officials said they will wait at least a week before taking any decision in that regard.
Apart from the sectors 76-77 intersection, the Authority will also soon install tyre killers at the Sector 75 Metro station, near Hoshiarpur U-turn, the Sector 16A flyover and near Sai temple U-turn in Sector 61. These areas have been suggested by the traffic officials based on where more incidents of wrong-side driving are reported, according to Hindustan Times.
“In Noida, driving on the wrong side has become a habit, especially for two wheelers. People prefer driving on the wrong side for 100 metres than taking the right side 200 metres ahead. It’s a cultural problem where violators think that they can get away with it,” Anil Kumar Jha, superintendent of police (traffic), said.
He added that the tyre killers are essential to nudge commuters into following traffic rules. However, for the first phase, only internal roads have been selected so that major damage can be avoided, in case of an accident.
