— Sunil Paudyal
SUNIL PAUDYAL, an engineer at the Traffic Engineering and Safety Unit of Department of Roads, has had a long experience of working at the safety unit. He has conducted many studies on road accidents. Paudyal spoke to SPOTLGIHT on various issues related to road accidents. Excerpts:
What do you suggest to reduce traffic congestions and accidents?
Since the mass transport system is not dependable, people are buying motorbikes as the easiest way to meet their need for mobility. Motorbikes are the cheapest and most convenient means of transport. However, we also need to have footpaths. If you talk about length of road in Kathmandu, the ring road is just around 27 kilometer long with its diameter on average being 8 kilometers. For instance, people have a walking distance of different diameters. Why do people buy motorbikes? If people find reliable mass transport, no one would want to ride unsafe motorbikes. The problem here is undependable mass commuter system.
How safe our highways and roads?
In terms of engineering design, our highways and roads are safe. Though some highways have many bends, they are technically all right. We have already improved many bends and turning improving the visibility of roads. Till a few years back, we continued to spend our budget for road marking but we have not been doing it for the last couple of years because of lack of budget. We require road marking in all highways – which will prevent the accidents. From different signs to lane marking, all are essential in preventing road accidents.
Why so frequent road accidents then?
The road accidents result due to ignorance of traffic rules. For instances, the speed limit of Prithvi Highway is 40 kilometer per hours but drivers there drive vehicles at the speed up to 60 miles an hour. We are unable to control the speed limit. After the intensification of Maoist insurgency, the situation has gone from bad to worse due to lack of monitoring.
Do you have any plan to extend the roads?
Following a recent decision of the government, the responsibility of maintenance and extension of city road has been given to the municipalities. Department of Roads will only look at the main roads. The expansion and extension of road network within the city is the job of municipalities. We have a very limited length of city roads. We don’t have budget to expand the network.
Don’t you see any possibility to extend the road network?
Extension of the road in the valley is virtually impossible since one has to pay huge amount of money just to pay as compensation to people whose land will have to be acquired.
How to make roads safe, then?
Nepalese roads are technically safe but the problem is to mark the road and generate awareness among drivers and pedestrians regarding the rules and regulations of the road.
How do you see the behavior of road users?
Frankly speaking, the behavior of road users has changed fast. People are not following the normal rules of the road. If one does not see any police at the road, drivers do not stop their vehicles even at red light. No one is following the lane discipline. Accidents are a cumulative effect of all these problems. Road users need to change their behavior. Likewise, we need to improve the quality of footpaths. The Department of Roads should renovate the road as soon as there is certain damage. Maintaining the road quality is an important component to prevent the road accident.
There is also a report that pedestrians continue to be victims of road accidents. How can you improve that situation?
I have not seen people crossing the road through zebra crossing. They are crossing it haphazardly. From drivers to pedestrians, nobody seems to be serious in following the road rules.