SRIKAKULAM: It was Pongal season this year. Subhas, who came to his native village Loddaputti in Ichchapuram mandal for the celebrations, went to the nearby town of Ichchapuram on a bike to purchase goodies for his family, a day ahead of the festival. He died on the road after a speeding lorry hit his bike. Such cases have become the order of the day as roads in Srikakulam district have become a death trap.
Statistics available with the police suggest that 54 people were killed in the first two months of this year. In February only, as many as 74 accidents were reported from the highway, killing 34 people and leaving 93 injured. In January, road mishaps claimed 20 lives.
In Srikakulam, Peddapadu Junction has become the most dangerous junction when it comes to road mishaps. “We witness at least one accident every day. Not only people, cattle are also getting killed. Around 60 cattle were run over by heavy vehicles last year,” says K Jagadeeswara Rao, a resident of Peddapadu. The spurt in accidents made the administration and police to undertake a survey in which as many as 56 vulnerable curves have been identified in the 194-km stretch of NH-16 passing through the district, with being 15 marked as ‘dangerous bends’.
The police have undertaken measures including white bar coding at dangers junctions, intensified patrolling on highway, erecting stoppers at busy highway junctions, intensive counselling on minors on safety regulations and wearing helmet, says DSP (traffic) Srinivasa Rao.
In the recent crime meeting, SP J Brahma Reddy also administered police personnel pledges on road safety norms.
“In February, of the 34 road mishap victims, 17 were killed in 16 two-wheeler accidents. Had they been abided by the helmet rule, they would have survived,” Srinivasa Rao said.
SP J Brahma Reddy says that instructions have been issued to the cops to intensify vigil along with the NH-16 and have speed breakers on all feeder roads.
