'Steps to be taken to check rise in accidents on NH'

Superintendent of Police Lakshman Nimbargi has said that in order to avoid the increasing number of accidents on the national highway, a team of technical experts has worked on the probabilities of overcoming the problem.

Speaking to reporters here on Friday, the police head said that a team of technical experts from Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) was contacted and a report was submitted. He said the report has been discussed in a meeting convened by the deputy commissioner with officials from national highway. They have made several recommendations and the meeting headed by the deputy commissioner discussed the probable action to be taken, he added.

Due to development around the highway, there has been significant growth in the number of commuters. Road accidents are also on the rise due to various reasons. In 2015, as many as 555 accidents were reported of which 120 were fatal, 435 non-fatal, 123 deaths and 619 injuries were reported in the district. In 2016, 601 accidents were reported, of which 157 were fatal, 444 were non-fatal, 168 deaths and 659 people suffered injuries.

In 2017, 474 accidents occurred in the district, of which 91 were fatal, 383 were non-fatal, 111 deaths and 525 people suffered injuries.

An attempt has been made to recognise some of the safety aspects of locations/intersections identified as black spots by Udupi district police. 

The identified black spots of NH-66 between Thekatte junction and Padubidri junction includes Thekkatte Junction, Guru-Narashima Temple Junction, Saligrama-Gundmi Junction, Brahmavara Akashavani Junction, Mahesha Hospital cross, Santhekatte Junction, Ashirvad Junction, Baliga –Fish net cross, Karavali Junction, Ambalpadi Junction, Udyavara Junction, Katpady Junction, Innanje Junction, Kaup Junction and Padubidri Junction.

The recommendations made by the expert team include safety measures adopted for the connective stretches adjoining the national highway. They also recommended setting up traffic islands on minor roads, accessibility of cross road to highway, all merging and diverging movements to/from the junction shall be either through the service road with end treatment or acceleration and deceleration lanes, bus stop locations should be located at the far side of the intersection at a minimum distance of 75m, and street lights with high luminous light to increase the visibility during night times.