Veerendra Heggade writes what plagues national highways with many casualties

Bellevision Media Network

Beltangady, 24 Jun 2016: I have been deeply saddened by the tragic death of 8 students in a road mishap that occurred on national highway at Trasi, near Kundapur in Udupi district on Tuesday June 21.

 

Such tragedies are daily taking place in road mishaps across the nation. One gets worried to know whose turn would be next. One cannot bear the grief that the victims’ families undergo. It’s difficult to explain their grief and agony. Meanwhile, one got to reflect on what are the causes for such tragedies.

 

I have returned from Dharwad via Udupi – Ankola on national highway just a week ago. The three-lane highway planned by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) indeed proves its long range plans. However, the way works are undertaken needs further review.  

 

I have travelled on these roads since the past 40 years and the three-lane works that is in progress reminded me of expressways in developed countries and I felt it would become one of such expressways shortly. But, it took more than 1 hour to travel than the earlier roads, because in a few stretch of road, the diversion takes to right side and after a while traffic intersects precariously. 

 

We also faced such dangerous traffic threatening collision as the motorists were impatient with scant disregard for traffic rules. The multi-axled vehicles, medium trucks and buses, passenger buses are moving with two-wheeler riders posing threat to smooth driving by erratic riding.  We were saved of a near-miss collision with a motorcyclist when he suddenly took right turn without any indication. Although we were in deep shock, the motorcyclist rode his bike unbothered. Several such instances we have experienced in just one journey.  

 

First of all, NHAI got to be vigilant in compelling the contractor to execute the work properly by installing signboards for safe driving. A few contractors have put up cautionary signboards in several places and none where the highway works are underway. The road users vary, truck drivers with truckload from Mumbai are on their way to Kerala covering thousands of kilometers, passenger buses ply from Udupi to Kundapur or a few motorists are driving home form their shops with a distance of just two-three kilometers.

 

The mindset of two types of drivers varies because their degree of alertness differs. The long haulers likely to get fatigue because of several hours of driving, braving poor visibility due to heavy rains, while the locals are least alert because their destination is just a few kilometers away. Meanwhile, the private bus drivers are known for rash driving to maintain time schedule, amidst a few pedestrians trying frantically to cross the national highway. The plight of students and their parents or elders trying to cross the highway during school beginning and closing is indeed nightmarish. This is the situation during ongoing highway works, but such instances are witnessed in different national highways in Karnataka.

 

We can assume it’s the issue related to national highway, but if we observe closely, there are not many signboards to alert the motorists on safety. A few signboards mounted on iron-rods are stolen by thieves for its scrap value. We see signboards for school are being damaged by miscreants. This sums up who would be responsible for highway discipline. One need appropriate answer. The police department comes into picture, once the road mishap takes place. Who would care for injured and dead? There are a few who come to Dharmasthala with a huge bill from hospital in treating the injured in a road mishap, because the insurance company does not clear their claim instantly but they got to clear their hospital bill. They got to hire a lawyer, attend court proceedings that would take sever months to get their claim.   

 

There got to be proper system in place while the highway works are underway. Once the highways are opened for traffic, the department should make it clear who would be responsible for smoother traffic on highways.   

 

The safety signs should be put in place for smooth driving and motorists should abide by traffic rules. There got to be authority to punish the violators and issue warnings to erring motorists.

 

In the developed nations, the traffic controllers identify the traffic violators by CCTVs installed on expressways and collect fine or issue warnings to erring drivers. It got to be introduced in our nation to instill traffic sense and fear of law.    

 

In the developed nations, if the engine of vehicle is on, the driver got to put on parking light. It’s fortunate that all the vehicles that are manufactured in India now have proper lights that got to be made use of. It got to be applicable to all vehicles including two-wheelers. There are motorists who drive without lights whilst raining or sunset risking others lives. 

 

There are two or three lanes in national highway, the first lane next to divider is for fast traffic and the second lane is being used for heavy vehicles and for other vehicles who move to second lane to give way for fast traffic. The third lane is for auto rickshaws, two-wheelers, tractors meant for slow traffic. It’s irony that the motorists in highways drive as they like. The lane discipline is unheard off that drives the sensible driver traffic rage.

 

The concerned department and NHAI got to collaborate in devising ways to make driving on highways safe and comfortable. The road mishaps should be lessened to save precious lives and for the betterment of society.  

 

The daily agony of families grieving over their dear ones owing to road mishap got to be eliminated forever.