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Need to build more foot overbridges and widen roads to reduce accidents in Visakhapatnam, say officials
While welcoming the rule making it mandatory for pillion riders to use helmets from September 1, they say many problems plague the city roads like many pedestrian crossings
There is a huge increase in vehicle popultion, especially the number of two-wheelers in the last 20 years in Visakhapatnam, say officials
| Photo Credit: K.R. DEEPAK
The district road safety committee members, which also includes the city police, have passed orders making it mandatory for pillion riders to use helmets from September 1.
The decision has evoked mostly positive response from the officials as well as public. Police officials said that the number of pillion riders who are being injured and even succumbing to the injuries on the roads, especially on the NH-16, is increasing year by year and the latest decision will definitely bring a change.
“There are many instances when a two-wheeler’s handle came in contact with a heavy vehicle on the NH-16. In most of the cases, the rider suffers minor injuries, while the pillion rider dies after coming under the wheels or hits the road leading to severe head injuries. If the pillion riders also wear helmet, then there are good chances of they surviving,” said a senior Traffic Inspector citing a case study.
However, as per the members of the road safety committee, there are still a number of issues to be addressed to control the road accidents in the city.
As per a senior police official, Foot Over Bridges (FoBs) are the need of the hour in the city limits. With the growing vehicle population and urbanisation, FoBs are necessary, as many accidents are being reported when motorists have been applying sudden brakes.
“Between Maddilapalem Junction and NAD Junction, there are 38 pedestrian crossings, which is very abnormal. If a motorists maintain some speed and applies sudden brake citing a pedestrian suddenly jumping on the road, that may lead to a fatal accident,” said a traffic official.
It was learnt that the city police have urged the administration to build at least 10 FoBs with lift facility in a year in between Tagarapuvalasa and Lankelapalem stretch and complete 30 in three years.
Rise in vehicle population
Traffic Police Department also point out inadequate roads and need for increasing width. They also complained of not having dedicated two-wheeler lane for the motorcyclists. As per the officials, around 20 years ago, the vehicular population was around 3.5 lakh in the city. Now it is close to 13 lakh in which 79% are two-wheelers.
Some years ago, the traffic police have initiated plans to divert heavy vehicles towards Anandapuram-Anakapalli highway during peak hours, which led to decline in heavy vehicle movement. The initiative yielded positive results by reducing accidents. Yet in another initiative, police have urged motorcyclists to use only service roads and use NH-16 unless it is emergency. However, not many two-wheeler riders are following it.
“There is a need for making our four-lane NH-16 road to six lane and also increasing the width of service roads. Some stretches do not even have service roads, which should be laid immediately. Since road extension works on immediate basis may not be possible, the authorities should mull to take down the encroachments and extend width of service roads,” said a former traffic police personnel from the city on condition of anonymity.
There are also complaints of inadequate street lighting and camouflaging of plantations at some places which are leading to non-fatal road accidents in the city.
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Visakhapatnam
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Andhra Pradesh