Every three days, at least two persons die in road accidents in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Lacking sound traffic management plan and good traffic engineering, the tourist city is grappling with various issues as it tries to streamline buses, cars, two-wheelers, cycles and even hand-drawn carts.
An eminent expert on road traffic management who was recently in the city to train police personnel, said, “Puducherry could be one of the best cities in the country. . Being a tourist city it should aspire to set international standards.”
A recent study conducted by transport planners and engineers of Institute of Road Traffic Education(IRTE) revealed that in Puducherry, 90 per cent of traffic signages are either error-prone or missing altogether. There is no speed measurement device. The IRTE has been promoting the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020) in India with the aim of reducing serious injuries and fatalities occurring in road accidents.
New initiative
The IRTE has launched an initiative called ‘Road To Safety’ to build capacity of traffic police departments, reduce drunk driving incidents.
At the 14{+t}{+h}edition of the programme held here in Puducherry recently, transport planners and engineers of the IRTE imparted training to 100 police officers about traffic management.
Around 150 drivers of commercial vehicles were trained in defensive driving. The training included propagation of knowledge of basic legislations, traffic control devices and code of conduct on the road. Police personnel were also trained on the latest technology in breath alcohol analysers and speed measurement device.
Rohit Baluja, president of the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE), said the role of traffic police is to enforce rules and investigate into accidents.
But as the transport and road authorities are not much involved in their job, police personnel are burdened with executing a wide range of tasks — traffic flow management, installing signals and signages to marking roads.
“In Puducherry, almost 90 per cent of the signages (important traffic devices) are erroneous, of poor quality or absent. This adds to traffic chaos ,” he said.
He also wanted the government to invest more in traffic management devices such as speed measurement machine.
“Puducherry needs to have either reader or laser-based speed devices. Government should go ahead with this investment because in a small place like Puducherry 228 fatalities a year is a huge number…almost like two persons dying every three days.
If you multiply this figure by 16, you get a rough estimate of serious injuries. It will go up further if you do not build capacity today,” Mr. Baluja said.
Special lane for
2-wheelers
Puducherry also has more twowheeler density than other cities. “You need to segregate two wheelers by creating an engineering norm such as a special lane for two wheelers. The pedestrian community too needs support, as pedestrian crossings and support systems are currently missing.”
Senior Superintendent of Police V.J. Chandran pointed out that 142 person lost their lives due to road accidents last year while 927 persons suffered injuries.
He also said one of the main reasons for the traffic accidents was the manifold increase in the vehicle population while the roads remained the same. IRTE experts also suggested establishment of a traffic management centre which should have an inclusive role for traffic police, Public Works Department and National Highways Authority, municipal and transport authorities. They must analyse every death and serious injury scientifically so that immediate remedial measures can be taken.
First and foremost that they must make sure that traffic control devices which are signages, road markings and signals are as per standards, experts said.
