By: Kamal Baruah
It was so much easier driving downhill from Arunachal while I was privileged to have one expert of highway construction at my front passenger’s seat, whose experience shared in untiring enthusiasm. It was interesting hearing about Indian Army, when they could reach NEFA frontier despite incredible challenges to fight the Chinese with the help of mule power. We were fetched by mules carrying supplies for forward post at Kargil over 19,000 feet in hostile weather and on highly risky tracks. Things were normal then that are strange now. Today heavy vehicles even copters take over the function of mules. If mules could understand this, they would simply shrug.
Not long ago, I came across donkeys working in early twenty-tens for hauling our cargo all day long without complaint. They set stairs for wireless base at Siot hillock near the Indo-Pak border. Now roads are designed well, helping vehicles for adequate grip from rubber wheel to go a very steep incline. Ironically, the ancients had no theodolite to measure the angle in the horizontal and vertical planes, therefore no knowledge of land surveying. When a road had to be built up a hill, the team of prospector would lead a donkey or a mule up the incline. The donkey would not go straight up along the shortest route, but would instinctively follow a path with a moderate incline or grade.
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My co-passenger kept talking about the geometric design of the road, we came across. As the surface produced great grip, I felt like entering the world of Formula 1 racing. I looked through the windscreen, seeing the landscape flow quickly past. It passed through a terrain with cross slopes, while moving the steering wheel at ease and effortless. I glanced how fast my alloy wheel spinning through the digital cockpit and didn’t hesitate to press the horn to make world’s attention that passed by. The continue beam of indicators at U-turns to let others communicate in which direction I am turning.
The consultant engineer didn’t care in which direction the car was moving, so long as I remained in the driver’s seat but he suddenly pointed towards navigation at touch screen infotainment system and drew my attention to a line ‘why roads are often curved?’ I responded with a blank look though my eyes stayed on the road. “It is highway hypnosis” Curves provide control to drivers. If at all possible even bridges aren’t constructed in straight line. Driving straight continuously increases the chance of drivers’ fatigue. Lack of visual simulation and change of action might fuel accident.
The Kolia Bhomora Setu reminded the danger of being straight. At one point I once faced difficulties while navigating in the middle but quickly regained control of my thoughts to conquer it. It’s a long bridge over 3 km and really dangerous as the thick fog plunge the road over the bridge often and I gently released the accelerator pedal a small amount to control speed. As we got out on the four lanes NH, I set the cruise control at about 70 kmph for maintaining a constant speed without the use of the accelerator pedal that felt me easy and effortless.
It was much less tiring while I saw traffic signs run away like a human in a rain storm but a rectangular road sign brought attention for an instant it appeared ‘Speed Limit’ – you can’t drive faster any longer than the posted speed under normal, safe driving conditions. Every highway is taxed for raising funds and its maintenance. It’s necessary to provide certain infrastructure, needs and security but at the same time, toll tax failed to keep passengers in comfort and convenience. A toll plaza near Sonapur triggered long queues as its infrastructure proved to be wholly inadequate.
The hustle and bustle of the big city had begun as we approached Guwahati and at the same time, clogged streets have caused some deadly delays in emergency responses. However, unruly drivers make chaos, while public transports are the most disobeyer. City buses are slow, doing dilly-delay tactics and halt intermittently thus blocking the left lane. Are speed limits to be set for minimum speed also? Three wheelers ply on whims and fancies, occupying auto stand at every nook and corner illegally. Slow moving rickshaws make a situation worse on main roads. Motorists are in a habit of honking all over besides there are VVIPs and ambulances blowing uninterruptedly. They must stop it while on move and use sensibly once the road is blocked. The use of high beam is prohibited within city limits but are we aware of it? I saw my city failed through unmethodical planning.
Police failed to keep a close eye and enforce any sort of discipline. They are just forcing fines on defaulters. Traffic management should understand the flow of traffic during peak hours. The congestion near mall, restaurant, school, office and hospital are the cause of concern. Road users must comply with the rules of the road. Notwithstanding these speed bumps, we chased hassle free travelling to manoeuvre comfortably on the different surface of the street. It was striking, exhilarating 300 km journey from the hills to the plains that was geared to bring a real goosebumps to our journey.
