i z sant Hey on SF cen wees ae ao} ere ‘i : National Highways Authority of India (ni A ) 4a y of Road Transport and Highways) pea, 3 feel -s1007 G55 8 6, Sector-10, Dwarka, New Delhi-t10075 NHAI/ Policy Guidelines/Safety Works/2019 Policy Circular No.1.1.30/2019 Dated os December, 2019 [Decision taken on File No. NHAI/11001/2/2016-RSC/Pt] Rectification of Accident Blackspots - Guidelines on preparation of proposals, granting sanctions, execution of works, etc. Ref: (i) Circular No- RW/NH-15017/1092015-P&M(RSCE) dated 08.10.2015 (ii) Circular No- RWINH-290111212 }15-P&N(RSCE) dated 07.12.2015 (iii) Circular No- RWINH-290111212 J15-P&M(RSCE)dated 02.09.2016 (iv) Circular No- RWINH-29011 12/1 J15-P&M(RSCE)dated 14.09.2016 (v} NHAI’s Circular no. 1.1.29/2019 dated 05.08.2019 (in modification of Circular no. 1.1.25 dated 2.122077) Precious lives of several road users are lost due to road accidents in India, The Road Accidents impose a huge social and economic cost in terms of untimely deaths, injuries, disabilities and loss of potential income. The costs of road accidents are borne not only by the victims and their families, but by the society and economy also, 2. To reduce the road accidents, Ministry/ NHAI earlier issued several guidelines/ circulars, as mentioned in above references, for rectification of blackspots. The comprehensive guidelines, in supersession of above circulars/ guidelines, have now been issued for strict compliance by all concerned. 3. The definition of road accident blackspot on National Highway as given in Ministry’s OM No, RW/NH-15017/109/2015-P&M(RSCE) dated 28.10.2015 is as under: “Road Accident Blackspot is a stretch of National Highway of about 500m in length in which either 5 road accidents (in all three years put together involving fatalities/ grievous injuries) took place during the last 3 calendar years or 10 fatalities (in all three years put together) took place during the last 3 calendar years.” 4. Reporting of Accident Data: Based on the above definition of blackspot, the Transport Research Wing, MoRTH has compiled and analysed road accident data on NHs for a particular calendar year and furnished the blackspots details along with accidents and fatalities data to MoRTH/ NHAI. ava5. Inspection and Framing of Proposals: 5.1 The Regional Officers (ROs) interalia by involving their Road Safety Officer (RSO), Road Safety Auditor, Road Safety Expert of IE/AE/RSC, etc, have to inspect each blackspot on National Highways under their jurisdictions, analyse the reasons of accidents with respect to geometry and other features of Highways, the cross roads and other reasons. Local enquiry and discussion with local authorities including Police Authorities may also be duly considered in identifying the reasons/ remedial measures for repeated accidents/ fatalities. 5.2 Where services of Road Safety Auditors/ Road Safety Expert of IE/AE/RS Cell are not available, a Road Safety Auditor/Expert with the following qualifications may be engaged: () Graduate in Civil Engineering with more than 7 years’ experience in design, construction and maintenance of roads; (ji) Should have completed an approved road safety audit/ engineering training program of at least two weeks duration Or Post-graduate/diploma course in Traffic and Transportation including Road Safety Engineering/ Audit. (iii) Should have a minimum of two years practical experience in road safety; (iv) Should have completed atleast three road safety audits. 5.3. For utilising services of the above-mentioned Road Safety Auditor/ Expert, RO can sanction fee upto Rs. 7.5 lacs per blackspot depending upon the nature of work. The fee of Rs. 7.5 lacs per blackspot including all other expenses (i.e., TA, DA, inspection, survey, report, estimate, etc.) is envisaged for work of permanent in nature involving complexities. For other cases, where scope involved in preparation is not so exhaustive, the appropriate fee be fixed by RO (below Rs.7.5 lacs) taking note of nature of work involved.5.4 For long-term measures, in addition to Road Safety Auditor/ Expert, a consultant may be engaged (if so required) for detailed survey, investigation, preparation of DPR, RFP document, etc. by obtaining sealed offers by RO from the Consultants working nearby (minimum 3) with short notice (21 days) for consultancy works not exceeding Rs.25 Lac and awarded by RO, if the cost of consultancy is not exceeding 2% of the civil work cost. In case the cost of consultancy is exceeding Rs.25 Lac, the consultancy may be awarded with the approval of Member concerned by calling regular RFP. The cost towards hiring the consultant for preparation of detailed design, drawing, estimate, bid document etc. may not exceed 2% of the civil work cost and a provision for the same may be included in the civit work cost estimate. 5.5 Depending upon the site condition/ requirement, the corrective measures could be short- term and/or long term (Ref. Annexure-A). Based on site inspection, preliminary survey, etc. the type of interventions required may be identified and accordingly the action for taking corrective measures, i.e., short-term measures and long-term measures may be initiated at Regional Office level. In case, it is concluded that the accidents are not due to engineering deficiencies, a certificate in this regard may be issued by the Regional Officer. 6. Sanction of Scheme 6.1 The short-term measures (if required) may be taken up under the provision of ordinary repair or such estimate may be sanctioned by the Regional Officers at their ‘own level on CoS/ Standalone basis. The short tender notice of 7 days may be invited by Regional Officers in case measures are to be taken up on stand-alone basis and work shall be completed within 3 months. 6.2 For long-term measures, the following procedure shall be followed: 6.2.1 Regional Officers shall devise mitigation measures following provisions of Para-5 above, approve the estimate, carry out necessary procurement and execute the works costing upto Rs.50 Crore (including the cost of land acquisition) for each blackspot including all centages, on COS/ stand-alone basis, under intimation to the concerned Technical Division and Road Safety Cell at HQ.6.2.2 All blackspots' mitigation works costing Rs.50 Crores and above shall be submitted to the concerned Technical Division for approval by the concerned Member with the concurrence of Member (F). Priority to execute blackspots works: 7.1 For awarded projects, ROs/ PDs should give priority to execute mitigation works at blackspot stretches. 7.2 Cases other than covered in Para-7.1 above, blackspot rectification measures may be taken up on stand-alone basis. 8. Tentative timelines: The indicative timelines to be followed are as under:- S| Aativity Timelines 1 | indicative cost estimate to be prepared and submitted by Regional Officer | 45 days {only for cases in Para-6.2.2 above) 7 | Administrative and financial approval to be accorded by HQ (only for cases in | 30 days Para-6.2.2 above) 3 | Detailed survey/ investigation’ preparation of drawing, design, detailed | 120 days estimate, bid documents etc. by RO through consultant (if required) and technical sanction (if consultant is required to be engaged the process for the same may be initiated as given in Para-5.4 above) 4 | Finalization of contractor for the civil work 120 days 5 | LA/ Environment Clearance etc. (if required) “| 1 Year [6 | Timeline for completion of civil work ‘6 months - years 9. Implementation of remedial measures: 9.1 The execution of the remedial measures after the sanction/ approval may be carried out through a contract to be awarded through bidding as mentioned above. Execution through COS can also be examined. A view in this regard is to be taken by the RO depending upon state of execution of work, performance of the contractor, nature of work, etc. 9.2 Supervision/ monitoring of the execution of the remedial measures works shall be done utilizing available manpower with the PIU/ using services of existing AE/ IE ifstretch is under construction/ O&M stage, In the absence of the above, RO may engage ‘a supervision consultant following the process as given in Para-5.4 above at a cost not exceeding 2% of the civil work cost or Rs.10 Lac whichever is higher. These services may also be included in the services at Para-5.4 and a combined offer may be obtained from the Consultants at design stage itself. 10. Monitoring the effectiveness of remedial measures taken Efficacy of the Road Safety Engineering measures is ensured only when road accidents/ fatalities related to road and road environment are eliminated as reflected in feedback on accidents/ fatalities at the improved location for atleast 3 years. Therefore, PDs shall collect accident/ fatality data at the improved locations from the police authorities and forward the same to Road Safety Cell at NHAI, HQ on Quarterly basis through Regional Officer, NHAI. 11. In view of the highest importance for road safety works, it is requested that all concerned should take the actions as mentioned above in a strictly time bound manner. Encl: As stated Laan (V.K. Sharma) CGM (Coord.) (i) All Officers of HQ/ROs/PIUs/CMUs/Site Offices. (ii) Hindi Officer for Translation in Hindi. (iii) Library - for hosting the circular in library site.Annexure: (A) The suggestive short-term measures: (i) Pedestrian facilities like Zebra crossings with advance warning sign as per IRC guidelines. (ii) Crash barriers/ railings. (iii), Solar tight. (iv) Junctions improvement. (v) Road signs inter-alia speed limits sign, pavement/road markings, delineators, studs/cats eye. (vi) Traffic calming measures including rumble strip. (vii) Repairing/maintenance of unsafe road/appurtenance including filling of berms/shoulder on National Highways. (viit) Restriction of certain types of vehicles, one way streets, reversible lanes, bus lanes, restriction on movement of different types of vehicles by time/ by lane etc. specially in urban areas, The provision of IRC SP-88: “Manual on Road Safety Audit” may also be referred for proposing safety measures/ analysis etc. appropriately.Annexure-B The suggestive long-term measures: Based on inspection, survey etc. if it is concluded that the spot require long term measures, a detailed estimate may have to be prepared for the same. In such situations some of the short-term measure as mentioned in Annexure-A and following cautionary measures may also be carried out. The signages for cautionary/alerting road users may be as under: {i) Cautionary accident black spot signs at both ends. (ii) Solar red blinking signals at both the ends. (iii) Rumble strips together with rumble strip sign (iv) “Restriction ends” sign. (v) Traffic Calming Measures An indicative sketch showing the locations and shapes of the above signs is at Annexure-C. Sizes, shapes, locations and other specifications of all the cautionary signs indicated at (1) above shall be as per IRC-67-2012 or its latest edition. Some of the long term suggestive measures depending upon the location of black spot are as under: Location of Black spot Corrective/remedial measures ‘Obstacles such as trees, poles, structure, etc. | Shifting/removal of these obstacles or within the clear zone, encroachments etc. providing other safety measures including crash barrier etc. further set back distance at all locations should invariably be achieved. | At-grade junction Flyover, underpasses, overpasses junction improvement etc. Deficient geometry improvement of _horizontal/vertical alignment/curvature or other safety measures including crash barrier ete. Mixed traffic Proving service lane, Footpath, crash barrier etc. Distressed/narrow Bridge/culvert "| Reconstruction, rehabilitation’ widening of the bridgesCrossing of area/school/hospitals/educational etc. ‘Animal/cattle crossing pedestrians/habitant institute Foot over bridge etc. Cattle pass/VUP, fencing etc. Hill roads/sharp curves Various safety measures including crash barriers