A study has identified 20 black spots across Mumbai roads and recommended solutions to make them safe. The key problems at these sites include encroached footpaths causing spillage of pedestrians on the roads, illegal parking, inadequate signage and missing road markings, according to the study conducted by IIT-B in collaboration with NGO United Way Mumbai and government machineries. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay collaborated with United Way Mumbai, the state transport department and the Traffic Control Branch, Mumbai, to conduct a speed observation at the 20 spots.

The study, titled ‘Slow Down’, identified various problems of enforcement--only seven out of 20 spots have signs specifying speed limits; critical road signage such as ‘speed limit’, ‘crash prone spot’ and ‘merging section ahead’ are missing at 11 locations; and are inappropriately placed at two locations. At seven locations, there were issues of side friction due to illegal roadside parking. Moreover, pedestrians were found walking on the road instead of footpaths at seven spots due to encroachment, the study stated. On the road engineering front, the study pointed to missing or faded road/lane markings at 17 locations; poor visibility at night at three locations; inadequate road signage at 11 locations; potential conflict points at merging sections at six locations.