Too many rumblers damaging health, vehicles, complain citizens

Too many rumblers damaging health, vehicles, complain citizens

Pune: According to the Indian Road Congress (IRC) Code Rule 99’s new directives, the distance between a series of rumblers should be one metre but there is no set rule for the distance between two batches of rumblers on the road. Taking advantage of this loophole, civic bodies of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad are installing successive batches of rumblers with no regard to its effect on commuters’ health or maintenance of vehicles. This is why citizens are not in favour of these rumbler strips. 

Close distance 
Sujit Patwardhan, an environment activist said, “These rumbler strips are installed everywhere in the city. The main aim of these rumbler strips is to control or act as a speed breaker for big vehicles. But in the process, it is causing damage to small vehicles.”

Vivek Velankar, a consumer rights activist opposed installation of rumbler strips at a very close distance. 

Siddhart Deorukhkar, a vivid traveller felt rumblers can damage the vehicle’s suspension as drivers rarely slow down. 

No set rules 
Rahul Patil, Deputy Director (Technical) of Indian Road Congress (IRC) said, “According to the new directives of 2018, under IRC Code Rule 99, the distance between two rumbler strips in a single batch is one metre, but no distance is set by IRC between two successive batches of rumblers on a road. The regulating body in a specific area is entitled to provide rumble strips at places where speed control is unavoidable on highways and arterial roads.” 

Needed on roads 
Aniruddha Pawaskar, Head of Road Department of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) said that rumblers reduce the speed of fast moving vehicles. “They are installed at crossroads, crossings, turnings and at accident-prone areas,” he said. 

He refuted complaints of citizens that they are installed every 100 to 200 metres, saying they are placed “wherever necessary.” 

Rajan Patil, Joint City Engineer of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), added that the rumblers are installed according to the conditions on the road. 

Nitin Dossa, Chairman of Western India Automobile Association (WIAA) said rumbler strips in urban areas and highways ensure road safety. “Just because public complains about their vehicular problems, the government cannot ignore public 
safety.” 

He, however, added that rumblers should be installed every half or one km distance and not every 200 metres. 

Concerns raised by citizens 
- Meghana Dekhane from Pimple Saudagar, who travels 20 km every day to her workplace and is in the 8th month of her pregnancy, said, “A normal person might feel minor jerks on these rumblers, but the effect gets amplified for pregnant women like me. It doesn’t matter if the vehicle goes slow or fast over it, I feel uncomfortable jerks due to these rumblers.” 
- Pramila Jadhav, from Wakadewadi, though agreeing that rumblers are needed, said, “While riding, it can cause back and neck ache. In a car, if you are speeding, you can hear a rattling sound and it might disturb the wheel alignment.” 
- Girish Patenge, who commutes 20 km daily on motorcycle said he has noticed the nuts-bolts of his motorcycles loosening as a result of riding on rumblers.

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