NEW DELHI: In order to make the city roads safer for pedestrians and commuters, the Delhi government has launched a special initiative to reduce black spots that are known for fatal accidents in the national capital.
The Delhi Transport Department has launched a road safety study in partnership with the NGO Save Life Foundation.
Under the initiative, the transport department and the Foundation will visit and survey the accidentprone spots to find out the possible reasons such as faulty road design, lack of pedestrian facility — FOB and subway — missing marks and sign boards, blinkers, potholes and others for these mishaps. The black spots are those that record three or more fatal accidents in a year.
“After surveying the black spots, we will take measures to improve the stretches. If you see, the traffic police work on FIRs. If an accident happens, they register a case and investigate whose fault it was. But, it is important to find out why accidents happen regularly in a particular area. They don’t always take place due to the fault of the pedestrians or the drivers, but also happen due to faulty road designs and lack of FOBs/subways, footpath, signages, crossing facility and others,” Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot told The Morning Standard.
The transport department has created a dedicated Road Safety Cell to work on the safety measures.
Under the initiative, the road safety study has already been conducted and corrective measures implemented in Mukarba.
The next study will be conducted at ITO flover, said Gahlot. According to Delhi Traffic Police, there are 119 mishapprone zones in the city.
Mukarba Chowk on GT Karnal Road recorded 23 accidents last year, of which 11 were fatal, while ITO flyover saw 8 accidents, of which four were fatal.