Tamil Nadu NH wing to take up 57 black spot rectification works

According to the officials of the department, of the 748 locations identified as the blackspots in the State, 199 are located on the national highways entrusted to the State NH wing and 78 are located in the stretches under the NHAI.

As per the Ministry of Road Transport and Highway’s protocol for identification of black spots, an accident blackspot is a stretch of road about 500 m long on which either five road accidents, involving fatalities and grievous injuries, had been reported during the last three calendar years or 10 fatalities during the last three years.

In all the blackspots, the official said they had taken up immediate temporary measures, like information/warning sign boards, rumble strips and cautionary blinkers.

Of the 199 black spots, permanent rectification measures in 60 black spots at a cost of Rs 69.95 crore have been completed in the road safety annual plan and other annual plan schemes. “Permanent rectification of 82 black spots at a cost Rs 302.64 crore are in progress. About 57 black spot rectification works will be taken up under annual plan 2021-22,” the official added.

In the black spots identified along the NHAI stretches, the official said permanent measures like construction of flyovers, underpasses, service road, foot overbridges, junction improvements, including lighting facilities are completed in 35 locations and are in progress in remaining locations.

“Further, 500 additional black spots have been identified and temporary measures are provided in all locations. In continuation, 157 black spots are considered as part of the development of the project and rectification works at 113 locations are under implementation. A detailed study for rectification is being carried out in remaining locations,” the official noted.