Belagavi: National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Friday introduced temporary safety measures at the accident-prone Bedekollamath curve on NH-48 near Hirebagewadi Ghat while preparing to undertake permanent corrective works estimated to cost nearly Rs 3 crore.City police commissioner Bhushan Borase said NHAI had placed water-filled drums, traffic cones, mannequins and warning signboards along the stretch to alert motorists and reduce the risk of accidents. Personnel from Hirebagewadi police station are coordinating with NHAI officials to monitor the stretch and enforce road-safety measures.The measures follow more than 18 accidents at the spot, including several fatalities, with the risk particularly high during the rainy season. In view of the recurring accidents, Borase sought a detailed technical assessment of the stretch.A team from the civil engineering department of KLS Gogte Institute of Technology (GIT), Belagavi, conducted a scientific inspection of the site in July 2025. The team comprised professors Archana Shagoti, Somanath Khot and Kartik Kulkarni.The study identified several shortcomings in the road design. It found that the curve has a radius of 220 metres, compared with the Indian Roads Congress norm of 230 metres for highways with a speed limit of 80kmph.The report also noted that the carriageway narrows from about 11 metres to 10 metres along the curve and further to 9.5 metres near the underpass, the stretch identified as the main accident hotspot. Overspeeding on the downhill gradient and poor lane discipline were cited as other major causes of accidents.Borase said the police department had submitted a proposal drawing attention to the dangers posed by the curve. Following this, NHAI initiated the tender process for corrective works, which are expected to begin after the monsoon.Based on the report and its recommendations, NHAI has sanctioned nearly Rs 3 crore to redesign parts of the curve, improve its geometry, strengthen crash barriers and introduce more effective speed-control measures.Borase expressed hope that the temporary measures, followed by permanent engineering improvements, would reduce accidents and make the busy highway stretch safer for motorists.
