ANGAMALY: Merchants usually look out for profit and hesitate to spend time and money on charity. But the Angamaly Merchants Association is an exception as it offers unique services to society.
The latest initiative of the association is the project — ‘Accident-free Angamaly’ which aims at protecting people, especially pedestrians, passengers and vehicle operators.
Owing to many reasons, Angamaly town has become a nightmare for drivers. Accidents are frequent. Narrow roads, faulty signal lamps, huge flex boards, distracting hoardings, increasing number of vehicles, improper Zebra Crossing lines, road-side parking of vehicles, footpath sales, traffic congestion and lack of police personnel add fuel to the problem. Many pedestrians, passengers and drivers were victims of road accidents in Angamaly recently. Rash and careless driving, violating the traffic rules, lead to increasing number of accidents here.
The association which had taken up several projects to help the public has decided to put an end to the issue, said association president Francis Thachil. It will coordinate with the police and motor vehicle department. To make it a reality fire and rescue force, hospitals, auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers, loading and unloading workers, students and social and political organisations will work together to make it a reality.
In the preliminary survey the association identified several areas prone to accidents. The association convened a meeting of various departments, drivers, headload workers, elected representatives, political leaders and the merchants to chalk out a detailed programme for the implementation of the project. Joint RTO Sadiqque Ali, sub-inspector Kerson, fire officer Roby Varghese, association office-bearers Francis Thachil, N V Polachan, M V Andrew, Jacob Kottackal and T T Varghese, elected representatives, political leaders and hospital representatives attended the meeting.
Francis Thachil told ‘expresso’ that the association would meet the expenses incurred for emergency treatment of the victims of
accidents.
The association has directed the merchants to stop footpath encroachment for business purpose. The association urged their members to remove the huge flex boards and hoardings that obstruct the visibility and divert the attention of drivers.
The participation of police and other departments will ensure that the volunteers are not harassed while rescuing and hospitalising accident victims.
The association will take an initiative to constitute committees in 15 centres in the town to prevent accidents and also provide the victims first aid and hospitalisation, Francis Thachil said. A one-day training in First Aid and Trauma Care would be given to volunteers who will be issued identity cards on successful completion.
Vehicles will be allowed to park only on one side of the road for loading and unloading of goods so that the other side is free for smooth traffic movement.
The Traffic Advisory Committee and Municipality will remove the hoarding especially on footpaths. The Association and Motor Vehicles Department will provide jackets for volunteers to control the traffic mainly at zebra lines to enable pedestrians to cross the roads safely. Trained students would be deployed to control the traffic on various roads. Leaflets would be circulated among the drivers to motivate them to follow traffic rules. The project would be implemented in full swing shortly, said Francis Thachil.