'Tyre killers' to prevent wrong-lane driving in Noida

In order to prevent wrong-lane driving, Noida will soon have "tyre killers" on city roads, a first of its kind experiment in Uttar Pradesh, according to officials.

Tyre killers are metal strips installed on roads with sharp spikes on one side. They act as minor speed breakers for those in the correct lane, while the tyres of vehicles in the wrong lane get punctured instantly.

Overall, five crucial junctures have been identified for installation of the tyre killers. The first one at Sector 77 -- North Eye Junction, a densely populated area with several high rise apartments -- will be operational by Thursday, a senior official of the Noida Authority said.

"Tyre killers will also be installed at the Hoshiarpur U-turn, Sector 61 Sai temple U-turn, near Sector 76 metro station and near Sector 16 A flyover," Noida Authority General Manager Rajeev Tyagi said.

He said the authority has joined hands with Noida Traffic Police and identified the locations to ensure safety of the people and smooth movement of vehicles in bottleneck areas.

"When somebody drives in the wrong lane, they are not only risking their lives but also putting the lives of those following traffic rules at risk," Tyagi said.

The authority has planned to put up signages at several places to alert the public about tyre killers.

"There would be warning signs to inform commuters about the tyre killers. The message should go loud and clear that wrong-lane driving is risky, not allowed and should not be undertaken," Tyagi said.

A traffic police official said Noida is the first city in the state to have this mechanism, adding that wrong-lane driving and opting for illegal short cuts is a common phenomenon among drivers and bikers which needs to be checked.

"We have been using other tools like penalising offenders, installed jersey barriers, etc to prevent wrong-lane driving. We are hopeful that tyre killers would be beneficial in making people realise the risk involved in not following traffic rules," the official, who did not wish to be named, told PTI.

Earlier in 2018, Pune had become the first city to install the tyre killers but they were removed following safety concerns.

The decision evoked a mixed response among Noida residents.

Ankur Saxena, a resident of Sector 77, said some people drive in the wrong lane because they think it is only a matter of 200 or 300 metres but in the process, they make the roads dangerous.

"I think this will deter wrong-lane driving," he told PTI.

Chetan Shukla, a resident of the same neighbourhood, said it could lead to problems on the road.

If the tyres of drivers' vehicles burst or get suddenly deflated, it may lead to a congestion on the road and vehicular movement could be disrupted, he said.