Population is increasing in the country, but the land area is restricted. Moreover, vehicles on the roads have increased at the rate of 1:10, said District and Sessions Court judge V C Hatti.
Speaking at the valedictory of the 19th National Road Safety Week organised under the joint aegis of District Administration, Transport Department and Police Department at District Police Auditorium on Wednesday, he said when new towns develop, farsightedness and planning is required to ensure safe roads. However, accidents are not restricted to big cities alone and awareness must be created at hobli-level.
Instead of trying out dare-devilry acts, people must take care about the lives of other people. Moreover, condition of roads have worsened. PWD and city corporation must solve the problem at the earliest. The topic must be included in school curriculum to ensure an accident-free city, he added.
Deputy Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao said the gestation period for big projects like road construction is usually more. The concretisation of NH 17 itself evoked lot of complaints from the affected public and it took time to pacify them. The road construction of almost 80 per cent of the Shirady Ghat stretch will be completed this year itself. Maintenance work of State Highways is also being undertaken. In the city limits, with the help of MCC and traffic police, traffic signals and sign boards will be erected, he added.
Regional Transport Officer B Sadashiva said 200 people die everyday in the country due to road accidents, while the figure in the State is 27 people everyday. On an average, one person dies in DK district everyday. Around 1 lakh vehicles are registered by RTA, DK district every year and in Bangalore, 32 lakh vehicles are registered every year. However, the road capacity is just 7 lakh, he informed.
DK Bus Operators’ Association Secretary Diwakar said due to the pathetic condition of roads, vehicle owners are forced to spend thousands of rupees on repairing their vehicles. Moreover, accidents are on the rise due to bad roads. Contractors who construct the roads must be given the responsibility of maintenance for five years, he suggested.
Additional SP Lokesh Kumar read out the report of the Road Safety Week.
Deputy Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao released the book ‘Apaghata’ and handed over prizes to winners of various competitions organised as part of the Road Safety Week.
Rickshaw driver Narasimha Kamath, Traffic West head constable S M Rudrappa and others were felicitated on the occasion for their contributions towards ensuring safe roads.
MCC commissioner Krishnappa Poojary, Lions G R Shetty and Congress leader Ivon D’Souza were present on the occasion.
