In less than six months, over five dozen vehicle users were killed and about 500 have sustained injuries in the city. The rise in number of accidents seems to have forced traffic cops to put their thinking cap on. They are preparing a report on road accidents and its causes seeking for a solution.
Surprisingly, the district road safety committee which was supposed to look into the issue seems to have taken it lightly. The committee comprising district officers and deputy commissioner as its head has not met since few years. It is the duty of committee to prevent road accidents and save precious lives in its jurisdiction and its focused areas include - preventive measures, surveillance and detection and enforcement measures. But in the recent past no meeting has been conducted to look into the issue.
Previous year city traffic police had taken credit for the decrease in road accidents in Mysore. Officers had claimed due to their efforts of educating vehicles users fatal accidents had come down to 113 in 2011 from 140 in 2010. But in the first six months, this year, about 63 deaths have been reported. About 46 people were killed in road accidents in the last three months, which is alarming.
Police attribute the increase in accidents, in majority of the cases is due to driver's negligence coupled with poor infrastructure and road engineering. The highest number of accidents has happened on a segment of National Highway 212 (Mysore-Nanjangud road) coming under the city police jurisdiction, according police study. On an average every year 20 accidents and four deaths have taken place between Bandiplaya and Gun House circle, a segment of NH 212. This year, about six deaths have been reported. The latest was on Thursday. A person who was admitted for injuries sustained in a road accident on NH 212, two days back, died on Thursday, a traffic police officer said.
Poor road condition, lighting and narrowness of the highway have all contributed to the accidents on the NH. Volume of the traffic is increased on the stretch over the years. The officer says the accidents cannot be prevented unless the stretch is widened and illuminate properly. He says it requires involvement of officers from various departments to take up road safety measures and it will be easy for the committee, headed by DC, to initiate measures on this score. But regrettably, the committee has not met since few years.
When contacted Deputy Commissioner P S Vastrad claimed a meeting on road safety was held previous month and soon he would convene a meeting with officers concerned to discuss about it. He, however, said highway developmental project is in the final stage.
Year: deaths
2010: 140
2011: 113
2012 (Till date): 63
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