CHENNAI: Unmarked speed breakers on several Chennai roads posing a safety risk to commuters, particularly two-wheeler riders, have become a common issue.
On Aspiran Garden 1st Street in Kilpauk, a 500-metre stretch has six speed breakers, of which two are completely unmarked, including one laid recently.
The reflective paint on three others has worn off, making them difficult to spot even during the day. Commuters say the sudden appearance of these humps often catches riders off guard.
"Speed breakers are meant to prevent accidents, but these are doing the opposite," said Ganesh Sundar R, a delivery worker, who said he lost balance while riding along the stretch after failing to notice an unmarked speed breaker. He added that several speed breakers on interior roads across the city remain unrecognisable even in daylight.
Motorists have flagged unmarked or poorly visible speed breakers on Vada Agaram Road and Sadhasiva Mehta Road in Aminjikarai, interior stretches in Anna Nagar, crossroads off Canal Bank Road in Kotturpuram, and in Balaji Nagar, Mogappair.
"It's especially difficult to ride at night, particularly on two-wheelers," said Haripriya, a Mogappair resident, adding, "Interior roads do not have adequate lighting, and without markings or signboards, it becomes hard to spot speed breakers in time."
A zonal-level Greater Chennai Corporation engineer stated that newly laid speed breakers were marked at the time of installation, and that reflective paint is designed to last for at least a year. "The grievances will be reviewed, and necessary measures will be initiated at the zonal level."