Udupi dist registers dip in mishap rates

This year, from January to November, as many as 144 persons have lost their lives.

As per the available statistics, from January to November, 170 accident mishaps have been reported in Udupi town. Of which, 19 persons sustained injuries and 20 have lost lives. Last year, 24 persons sustained injuries and 27 persons have lost their lives. As many as 63 persons have lost their lives on National Highway in Udupi district and 383 persons suffered injuries. In the mishaps on state-highway, 26 persons have lost their lives and 161 persons have sustained injuries.

Speedy driving, drunken driving, violation of traffic rules led to accidents. Sometimes, the road accidents are accidental. Even the potholes on the roads are also dangerous and cause accidents. Every day one or the other accidents occur on National Highway 66 at Kaup, Udyavara, Mabukala and Ambagilu. In majority of the cases, rash driving results in mishaps, say the traffic police.

The public say that there is traffic problem at Kalsanka in Udupi. The pedestrians find it difficult even to walk on the road.

There is a need to solve the problems related to traffic, opine many.  Though the traffic police control the traffic many a time, mishaps do take place in the absence of traffic police, said another citizen. The police department feels that the police department’s stringent action has reduced the number of accidents in the district. Three interceptors ply and keep a vigil on the traffic violators in the district.

The interceptors continue to vigil at Udupi, Kaup and Kundapura. The interceptor has helped in finding the rash drivers. At the same time, traffic police have been deployed in accident prone areas, said a traffic police. “In the past, Karavali Junction was a accident-prone zone. However, with the installation of traffic signals, the accident rate has come down drastically.

As the work on four-laning of National Highway from Hejamady to Kundapur is under progress, the vehicle users can not drive rashly, which has also helped in checking mishaps,” said a police.

Year      deaths
2009       172
2010       192
2011       144 (as on Dec 5)

Udupi town
2010        27
2011        20