Kolkata: A viral video showing three motorcycles skidding on the rainbow-painted Chingrighata flyover after a drizzle has raised questions concerning motorists’ safety. Has the festive road beautification drive compromised with safety parameters for the sake of aesthetics?
Senior state minister Agnimitra Paul said KMDA, police and civic engineers had been sent to the spot at Chingrighata flyover to look into the matter. “The painting has been done to keep up with the mood of the festive season and that it is not a permanent feature.We will take steps as per recommendations of the experts,” Paul told TOI on Wednesday. Road surfaces require technically-approved materials,” the engineer said. Specially formulated coloured surfacing systems incorporating anti-skid aggregates can provide adequate friction even in wet conditions, the engineer said. “We have informed all agencies involved with the painting that this can be dangerous,” said a senior Kolkata Police source.
A senior engineer associated with the West Bengal Traffic and Transport Planning Directorate questioned whether the authorities used road-grade, skid-resistant material or ordinary decorative paint. “The paint does not appear to be a thermoplastic road-marking material. It looks more like oil-based or emulsion paint. An important distinction, engineers say, is that thermoplastic paint is not automatically suitable for coating an entire carriageway. Decorative applications covering large areas require appropriate coloured surfacing systems and separate friction assessments. The controversy also revives questions about mastic asphalt surfaces. The Kolkata Police and Bidhannagar Police stated that no one has complained yet.