The accident near Punganur on August 5, in which four Spanish nationals were killed and nine others were injured, has prompted the Chittoor district police to step up road safety measures on a war-footing, including a special drive to monitor the movement of sand-laden tractors and heavy vehicles without permits on the national and State highways.
As part of the drive, the Chittoor traffic police in the last week seized a dozen sand-laden tractors and water tankers on the outskirts of the town moving without load permits.
Superintendent of Police S.V. Rajasekhar Babu issued orders prohibiting the movement of sand-laden tractors and lorries in Chittoor municipal corporation limits from 8.30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Surveillance would be coordinated with the Road Transport, Commercial Tax and Mines departments. About 200 tractor drivers and owners attended an awareness campaign held on Thursday, and signed the oath forms to follow road safety rules.
Speaking to the media, Deputy SP K. Kesappa said that more than 20 people, most of them students, were killed in the last two years in an around Chittoor, in accidents involving sand-laden tractors. “We have identified more than 50 ‘Y’ and ‘T’ junctions in the corporation limits, and speed-breakers will be put on all main and approach points in coordination with the civic body and Roads and Buildings authorities. Similarly, synthetic road dividers would be arranged at all road points vulnerable to overtaking,” he said.
The official said that considering the past record of road accidents at nights, five vital routes in Chittoor corporation limits connected to Tirupati, Chennai, Vellore and Bengaluru roads will be provided with lighting. They are Iruvaram-Nutrine Factory; ITI-Sambaiah Kandriga; Durgamma Temple-Collectorate; NTR Bus station-Kattamanchi ROB; and Venkusa Y-Junction to Doddipalle. Presence of stray cattle, street dogs, goats and swine would be dealt with sternly, the DSP said.
The official said that during the three weeks, 15,000 people signed the Oath Forms for traffic safety rules under Chittoor corporation limits, and another 5,000 would be covered in the coming weeks.
