KURNOOL: The main thoroughfares in Kurnool district, especially the national highways, seem to have turned into death traps since 2-3 people are getting killed, on an average, and several others are sustaining injuries in accidents every day.
While the district registers more than 150 road accidents in a month due to overspeeding, negligence, lack of sign boards, signals and speed brakes, among other reasons, about 60 per cent of the mishaps are occurring on Srisailam Ghat Road, Kurnool-Nandyal-Allagadda and Kurnool-Bellary routes. Kurnool-Chennai NH-18 (new NH-40), Hyderabad-Bengaluru NH-44, Kurnool-Bellary main road and Kurnool-Guntur main road via Nallamala forest claim the lives of at least 50 persons every month.
It may be recalled here that Allagadda MLA B Shobhanagi Reddy died, two-and-half years ago, after her car overturned on the outskirts of Allagadda town. Former TDP MLA Erravalli Dayakara Rao’s brother Arun Kumar was also killed in a ghastly road mishap at Chintakommadinne village in Allagadda mandal, three years ago. Similarly, eight daily wage workers died in a road accident at the same place two years ago.
As many as 10 persons, two of them children, were killed when a speeding lorry rammed their car near YSR Smruti Vanam at Atmakur on Velugodu Road in Nallamala forest, about a year ago, and 11 persons died after an RTC bus and a lorry collided head-on on the outskirts of Panyam, four years ago.
Former CBI joint director Laxminarayana’s car met with a road accident on Srisailam Ghat Road, three years ago. Six revenue staff including Orvakal mandal tahsildhar died at Nannur village after a speeding lorry ran over them while they were waiting for their higher officials last year.
As per sources, 1,845 road accidents occurred in 2015 wherein 641 died and 2,654 people were injured. In 2016, as many as 1,890 road mishaps were registered wherein 634 people were killed and 2,856 sustained injuries.
Lack of communication among National Highway Authorities of India, Roads & Buildings, Forest, Medical and Health, Irrigation and Police departments besides negligence of commuters are claiming several lives every year.
When contacted, Deputy Transport Commissioner B Prameela told Express that there has been a sharp rise in cell phone driving and drunken driving cases in the recent times apart from negligence and overspeeding. He advised the vehicle users not to talk with co-passengers while driving, which often leads to negligence and overspeeding, resulting in accidents.
He stressed the need for keeping tensions off one’s minds before taking to roads and also cautioned against driving old, unconditioned vehicles. Special care should be taken in case of rains, thick smoke and dust. Don’t overtake vehicles with heavy speed and slow down at bridges, culverts and other water streams, he added.