Report on Bypasses of Road Project Preface:
- Congestion often slows down highway traffic passing through small rural towns. It is due to a lack of proper traffic control devices and poor geometry.
- One of the main reasons for the construction of bypass roads in towns is to remove traffic from the center of the town or city to the periphery.
The construction of bypasses on highways is for the purposes of the following
- Improving the flow of traffic,
- Shortening travel times, and
- Reducing road accidents.
- They also improve local access to people and goods.
- Bypass roads, however, also have positive environmental consequences. They reduce noise and pollution emissions along the previous route.
Proposed Bypasses as per CA:
There are two proposed bypasses as per the provisions of the concession agreement, i.e.
- XX Village Bypass (Km. 10.000 to 15.000)
- XXX Village Bypass (Km. 45.000 to 52.000)
Another bypass-cum-realignment is under consideration (not in the scope of CA):
- At XXXX Village (Km 21.000 to 22.000),
Review by an Independent Engineer:
Our review is based on two aspects, i.e.,.
1) Feasibility of the Bypasses.
2) Suitability of the present available R.O.W. (right of way) for the project highway.
A) XX Village Bypass:
Report on Bypasses of Road Project: Feasibility study
- According to the standard practices worldwide, we favor the construction of the XX Village Bypass from Km. 10.000 to Km. 15.000.
- This is to avoid the congestion of XX Village through traffic, reduce the chances of accidents, and provide cleaner air.
- The proposed bypass, which is presumed to start next to the Govt High School, passes through a graveyard before ending at the outskirts of the XX village.
- The design aspects of the proposed bypass are under scrutiny by our concerned experts.
- Following the resentments among the local people due to encroachments on the graveyard, we studied all the pros and cons of deflecting the proposed bypass to save the graveyard. And the following are our findings:
- If the proposed bypass gets deflected to save the graveyard, then under every circumstance, two curves are born on alignment. This new curve radius will be much below the specifications. (Manuals of Specifications, Planning Commission, Government of India).
- Further, with a proposed speed of 100 kmph, these small intermediate bends will make a S curve as a combination, with extremely poor geometry and thus vulnerable to accidents.
- In comparison to the total size of the graveyard, only a small part is going to be acquired.
Report on Bypasses of Road Project: Recommendations
- Hence, we are not in favor of any distortion of the key plan for the proposed XX village bypass. It spans between Km. 10.000 and Km. 15.000.
Report on Bypasses of Road Project: Suitability of the present available R.O.W.
- Though we are in the process of reviewing the plan and profile of the project highway, based on our past experiences in and across the length and breadth of our country and following the reconnaissance survey of the proposed bypass topography and land pattern, we found that:
- The proposed embankments will be high embankments only. And, height equal to or more than 6.00 mts. Though final height can only be commented on after the completion of our review of FRL (Finished Road Level),.
- Though we will reduce the V:HH ratio of the embankment slopes by designing them before the start of construction, as per the specifications of the Manuals of Specifications, Planning Commission, Government of India, the V:HH ratio is only 1:2. So under all circumstances, the toe lines of the embankments will go away faster than in normal conditions.
- All conventional means to construct high embankments within the limited ROW will not be at all feasible on two counts:
Report on Bypasses of Road Project: From an economic point of view
- Since these will take a considerable period of time to construct, this will extend the period of construction. Hence, it will impact the concession period.
- So, we can conclude that the existing stipulation for a 30.00 mt ROW will become a constraint for the proposed XX Village Bypass.
B) XXX Village Bypass:
Feasibility study:
- Time and again, we are strongly in favor of the XXX Village Bypass just to avoid the huge congestion and numerous conflicting junctions, as well as the removal of encroachments in major portions of the existing stretches.
- Of course, the proposed XXX Village Bypass will ensure through traffic, minimize the chances of accidents, and provide a clear ambient environment. But here, too, some public resentment has been experienced.
- This is related to the eviction of a portion of the habitation of the village, a small colony, at ch. 50.500. We had also studied the above case and other factors critically, and the following are our findings:.
- If we stick with the widening of the existing road through XXX Village or town, then all the staggering existing junctions require developments either with rotaries or islands.
- To incorporate all safety parameters and accommodate slow-moving lanes in a fast-moving corridor, additional spaces are required. Hence, a wider ROW is required in some places, which will be difficult to mitigate.
- There is a provision for one ROB at XXX Village (see Concession Agreement).
- The ground reality is that if we want to construct it on the existing road, then we have to construct it within the city area, and constructing a ROB within the city will be a parallel project only.
- Whereas, in spite of the obligation to construct a 4-lane ROB instead of a 2-lane one (as for the existing road), there will be no effect on completing the project within the schedule if the bypass is implemented.
- As per our random survey, we found that as many as a maximum number of 25 to 30 families are going to be evicted out of a total population of 300 (approximately) of the small colony habitation.
- This is nothing in comparison to removing encroachments on more than 50% of the existing stretches, as these evicted families can easily be rehabilitated.
- The CBA (cost-benefit analysis) values for the proposed bypass will be much higher than those of the existing road.
- Bypass will ensure fewer accidents than the existing portions.
Recommendations:
- So, we recommend the implementation of the XXX Village Bypass.
Suitability of the present available R.O.W.
- As we discussed in the case of XX Village Bypass and in spite of the fact that the plan and profile of the highway project are under review, according to our past experience and corroborated by the reconnaissance survey of the proposed bypass topography and land pattern, we found that:
- For the XXX Village Bypass also, the proposed embankments will be high embankments, though the final height can only be commented upon after the completion of our review of FRL.
- Though the V:HH ratio of the embankment slopes will be modified at the time of designing them, as per the specifications of the Manuals of Specifications, Planning Commission, Government of India, the V:H ratio is only 1:2. So under all circumstances, the toe lines of the embankments will go away faster than in normal conditions.
- All conventional means to construct high embankments within the limited ROW will not be at all feasible on two counts:
From an economic point of view,
- With chances of extension of the construction period, the concession period may be affected.
- As per our survey, one vehicle under pass (VUP) will be required at ch. 51.000 in the XXX Village Bypass. If that is implemented, then obviously slip roads are to be provided to give access to the VUP. So in all probability, 30.00 mt ROW will not serve any purpose.
- So, once again, we can say that the existing stipulation for a 30.00 mt ROW will also become a constraint for the proposed XXX Village Bypass.
C) XXXX Village Realignment (km 21.000 to 22.000).
- Basically, this bypass is beyond the scope of the concession agreement. But there is almost a hairpin bend in the concerned part of the existing road whose radius of curvature is much below the requisite criteria, hence accident-prone. Following are the technical details of the existing part.
- The radius of curvatures of the two curves forming the hairpin-like bend are 240 mts and 90 mts, respectively. But as per the Manuals of Specifications, Planning Commission, Government of India, the radius of curvatures must be 360 mts (at 7% super elevation and 100 kmph design speed). So the vulnerability of this portion can easily be anticipated.
- The existing part passes through a built-up area with a temple.
- If we allow the realignment, then the following advantages can be enjoyed:
- The proposed realignment will not affect any habitation significantly.
- With an additional acquisition of 10 acres (to accommodate a 60.00 m ROW) for realignment, we will reduce the length of the road at least by 200.00 m..
- We can ensure a safe through traffic at 100kmph design speed with ease.
Recommendations:
- So, according to the merit of the case, we would like to recommend realignment within the ch 21.000 to 22.000 at XXXX Village.
Report on Bypasses of Road Project: Conclusion
On the whole, we would like to recommend implementing all three bypasses with the actual required ROWs. Further, we would like to request that you initiate the process of notification for acquisition, e.t.c., to avoid further delays. |
