Design best practices for road safety

31 Oct 2022 CW Team

The dominion of road safety in India is tricky terrain. A mix of defined protocols and undefined procedures makes it difficult to navigate. However, thanks to global best practices that enhance the safety of design and encourage the use of digital tools, the scenario is set to change.

Cars crashing into each other may look quite enticing in a Rohit Shetty movie but in real life it’s something you want to steer away from. On average, around 472,606 road accidents in India annually result in the death of almost 149,472 individuals across different age groups. So, as we become eager to build more roads and highways, we should be equally keen on making them safe for use.

The problem arises because there is always a compromise when it comes to safety and the standard of design. Much of it has to do with the talent pool at work as well as the enthusiasm to create and deliver the right solutions. “We need to employ the right kind of civil engineers who can come up with precise and innovative solutions to address present-day safety challenges,” says Vipul Surana, Regional Director – Transport AECOM.“Right now, the safety part of the road-building narrative is suffering from low enthusiasm and hence the results are not up to the mark as desired by the authorities even though we have the right digital tools in place.”

Many of the design standards and codes we have been following in road safety are borrowed from Europe. IRC 73 and IRC 86 are in use even today but implementation of these codes is a problem. More so because in many projects it becomes difficult to go by the book entailing deviation and there are no specific guidelines for deviation of standards, the impact on safety and ways and methods to mitigate it.

To read the full article, CLICK HERE.

Technology

28 Oct 2025

Building Faster, Smarter, and Greener!

Backed by ULCCS’s century-old legacy, U-Sphere combines technology, modular design and sustainable practices to deliver faster and more efficient projects. In an interaction with CW, Rohit Prabhakar, Director - Business Development, shares how the company’s integrated model of ‘Speed-Build’, ‘Smart-Build’ and ‘Sustain-Build’ is redefining construction efficiency, quality and environmental responsibility in India.U-Sphere positions itself at the intersection of speed, sustainability and smart design. How does this translate into measurable efficiency on the ground?At U..

Smart Roads, Smarter India

India’s infrastructure boom is not only about laying more kilometres of highways – it’s about building them smarter, safer and more sustainably. From drones mapping fragile Himalayan slopes to 3D machine-controlled graders reducing human error, technology is steadily reshaping the way projects are planned and executed. Yet, the journey towards digitisation remains complex, demanding not just capital but also coordination, training and vision.Until recently, engineers largely depended on Survey of India toposheets and traditional survey methods like total stations or DGPS to prepare detai..

What Does DCPR 2034 Mean?

The Maharashtra government has eased approval norms for high-rise buildings under DCPR 2034, enabling the municipal commissioner to sanction projects up to 180 m on large plots. This change is expected to streamline approvals, reduce procedural delays and accelerate redevelopment, drawing reactions from developers, planners and industry experts about its implications for Mumbai’s vertical growth.Under the revised DCPR 2034 rules, buildings on plots of 2,000 sq m or more can now be approved up to 180 m by the municipal commissioner, provided structural and geotechnical reports are certified b..