With large number of road accidents involving pedestrians taking place on the busy Tank Bund Road while crossing the road, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, in coordination with the traffic police, has started erecting protection guard grills.
The grills are being erected as per the directions of the Andhra Pradesh Lok Ayukta which took a serious view of the tragic road accident when a couple died on the Tank Bund Road in October last year. Two others, including a girl, sustained grievous injuries.
The couple died when an RTC bus coming from Nizamabad was going speedily on the Tank Bund road to Hyderabad depot, crushed them while they were crossing the road, killing them on the spot.
Speaking to Express, GHMC officials said that initially the iron grills up to 500 metres would be erected on the three zebra crossing lanes as against the five zebra crossing lanes near the statues and green lawns. The work will be completed by the end of this week.
Municipal commissioner MT Krishna Babu has sanctioned Rs 19 lakh for erection of the grills.
Citizens and tourists cross the over 2 km-long road erratically while vehicles go at high speed. Every year 250 to 300 road accidents, ranging from minor to fatal, are taking place on the Tank Bund involving the pedestrians.
The GHMC had first decided to construct grills on the side where statues of famous personalities stand covering three zebra crossings, the grills are being erected between the main road and the footpath. There will be opening only at the zebra crossings to allow pedestrians cross the road. With the grills in place, walkers cannot cross the road except at the zebra crossings.
At the three zebra crossings, traffic sign boards indicating the the speed limit of 40 kmph will be erected. In the middle of the roads, solar-powered environment-friendly, LED intelligent road studs will be installed to provide information to drivers about the road ahead.
Solar road studs provide a ten-fold increase in visibility as well as better durability in the most demanding conditions. Apart from solar studs, solar flashes will also be in place.
Though GHMC officials claim that grills are being erected purely keeping in view the safety of pedestrians, it will also help in protecting the statues from being vandalised by anti-social elements in future.