Motorists travelling on National Highway 4, from Mulbagal to Nangli on the Andhra Pradesh border are hoping for better days as the road-widening work has now picked up pace. Four-laning of the road between Bangalore-Kolar-Mulbagal is already complete.
The slow progress of the road-widening work, numerous potholes and missing signboards have resulted in a number of accidents that have claimed several lives on this stretch, earning itself the term “death-trap”.
Major link
The section of NH 4 that passes through Kolar district is a major link between Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Every day thousands of vehicles pass through this stretch, the majority of them destined for Tirumala Tirupati.
Of the total road accident casualties on NH 4 — between Ramasandra near Kolar and Nangali in Andhra Pradesh — the majority occur between Mulbagal and Nagali. The death of 12 persons in a bus accident about three years ago, and six of a family from Bangalore dying on June 23 last year, are some of the major accidents that still haunt the people here.
Such tragedies prompted a senior police official to register cases against the Public Works Department and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the bad maintenance of the roads.
Dismal statistics
While 93 people lost their lives and 608 were injured in 2010 in 192 road accidents on this stretch, 99 died and 490 people were injured in 428 incidents in 2011. In 2012, 315 accidents occurred in which 96 people died and 457 were injured.
Apprehensive
The residents of Kolar, however, wonder whether the number of accidents will come down after the road widening. stressed on the need to make suitable arrangements at Narasimhateertha curve on the National Highway on the outskirts of Mulbagal town, to avoid frequent accidents.
Non-motorable
Other roads in the district, including State highways (SH) and major district roads (MDR) are not in good condition, with the exception of the Kolar-Srinivasapura Road. Poor construction and maintenance have rendered these roads non-motorable.
A 14-km stretch from the BEML entrance in KGF to Deshihalli is in a deplorable state. So too, the road from Masti to Kolar (around 35 km).
Other stretches that are equally bad include the road linking Chintamani taluk headquarters with the district headquarters; the road between Vemagal and Talagund linking the Bengaluru International Airport; and parts of the Kolar-Bethamangala road.
