The Bihar Road Construction Department (RCD) has instructed officials to conduct a comprehensive ‘safety inspection audit’ for all road over bridges (ROBs) situated along highways in the state. Additionally, there is a prioritised initiative to install crash barriers to prevent incidents where vehicles crossing bridges may fall onto railway tracks.
In a letter addressed to all chief engineers of the department, Sohail Akhtar, the Engineer-in-Chief of the Road Construction Department, has mandated the performance of a ‘safety inspection audit’ for all road over bridges (ROBs). The directive emphasises the prompt implementation of robust crash barriers along the approach roads to prevent instances of vehicles falling onto railway tracks in the state.
In the letter dated January 11, the Engineer-in-Chief explicitly instructed them to guarantee the construction of crash barriers or fencing on the approach roads of the ROBs in accordance with the ‘Standard Specifications and Code of Practice for Road Bridges’ specified by the Indian Roads Congress (IRC)-2015, along with the guidelines for traffic safety barriers.
What concerns did the Railway Board raise?
The instructions have been issued in response to apprehensions raised by the Railway Board in a letter dated November 10, 2023. The concerns primarily revolve around the escalating incidents of vehicles falling onto railway tracks from the road over bridges (ROBs) in Bihar.
Akhtar said that the Railway Board in a letter to the Bihar Road Construction Department had put forth its concerns over the increase in the number of cases of vehicles falling on railway tracks from ROBs in the state. The main cause of such occurrences is the lack of sufficient safety fencing or barriers on the approach roads leading to the road over bridges (ROBs) on both national and state highways in Bihar.
The letter added that the RCD headquarters should promptly receive the Action Taken Report (ATR) accompanied by geotagged photographs.
(With PTI inputs)