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How Rakshaks Are Improving a High-Risk 270-Metre Stretch in Varanasi
Team WorkWizards audited the Gurubagh–Bhelupur corridor — a short stretch with an outsized crash footprint — and proposed interventions a ward engineer can deliver.
8 min readTeam WorkWizards, Varanasi
The 270 metres
Between Gurubagh and Bhelupur, a narrow 270-metre stretch funnels pedestrians, e-rickshaws, two-wheelers and through-traffic with no lane separation. Team WorkWizards picked it because residents have been flagging it for years.
Audit findings
- No footpath continuityPedestrians spill onto the carriageway every 30–40 metres.
- Blind exitsSide lanes meet the corridor with zero advance visibility.
- Mixed vehicle speedsE-rickshaws at 15 km/h share lane with two-wheelers at 50 km/h.
What to install
- Continuous footpathRe-cast the footpath with bollards and zero gaps.
- Convex mirrorsInstall at every blind side-lane exit.
- Speed tableA single raised table mid-stretch caps free-running speed.
- LightingAdd two pole-mounted LEDs covering the full stretch.
Who owns the fix
“We have been writing letters for years. This time someone walked the road with us and wrote it down properly.”
The audit report has been handed to the Varanasi Municipal Corporation and Traffic Police. Team WorkWizards is tracking implementation milestone-by-milestone.
Take action
Short stretches, big wins
Most Indian black spots are shorter than 500m. Audit one. Fix it. Repeat.
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A youth-led road safety audit and intervention plan for a 270-metre Varanasi corridor.