Little has changed at the blind curve near the graveyard on Tadbund-Bowenpally stretch, four days after two youngsters died in a road accident there.
With the gory death of Anirudh and Vishwa on Saturday, 15 lives got snuffed out in road accidents at this ‘black spot’ in the past five years. No fatal accident was reported here in the year 2016, but instances of vehicles, especially two-wheelers, skidding on the road and riders sustaining injuries never stopped.
A considerable number of bike riders suffered serious injuries after their vehicles skidded at the curve. From Chinna Thokatta bridge, the road is straight for over 200 yards. Naturally, vehicle riders tend to speed, though those familiar with the curve ahead are cautious. From the bridge, the road has slight slope towards the curve at the graveyard. Those driving at high speed have no other option, but to slam on the brakes. “As a result, many skid on the roads. Five to six such instances are reported every month and considerable number of bike riders suffered serious injuries,” Bowenpally Inspector K. Kiran said.
Police enter details of these accidents in General Diary. No First Information Report is issued as the injured don’t prefer to lodge specific complaints. In fact, height of the road divider was increased at the curve to ensure vehicles didn’t land on the other side after hitting it. “This was done after a Tata Sumo, being driven rashly, could easily cross over the divider a few months ago and almost hit the graveyard compound wall,” the police said.
Other measures taken to avert accidents at the blind curve were to build a thick parapet wall along the nala at the curve. Four youngsters returning home after celebrating new year party, fell in this nala on January 1, 2012 and died. They were riding a bike. The parapet wall was constructed after this incident. In the light of the fresh accident, officials of the traffic police and National Highway Authority of India examined the spot once again.
Controlling speeding vehicles was the best way to minimise accidents at the curve is the consensus they arrived at. On a priority basis, they would put up rumble strips on either side of the divider while approaching the blind curve. Traffic police, after seeking opinion of engineers, say the best way to check accidents at the curve is to make the road a bit straight. For this, procurement of land is required. Land on one side of the curve is owned by the Ministry of Defence and the other side belongs to the graveyard.
“Going by past experiences of securing lands in such cases, there are little hopes,” say the traffic police officials.
