National highways seeing hundreds of fatalities

Despite repeated reminders authorities are failing to address the underlying factors

Last year, 794 accidents took place killing in Suryapet district 381 people and injuring 898.

The National Highways passing through the district are witnessing at least one death and two injuries every day, as per the records.

On the Mumbai National Highway from Kandi to Pothireddypalle crossroads, there are two U turns allowing vehicles to take a turn. One is near Zam Zam Dhaba and the other is near Pothireddypalle crossroad. At both these places, there are no overhead streetlights and the driver of any vehicle coming from Hyderabad will have blurred vision due to the headlights from vehicles on the other side of the road. This is leading to accidents. Same is the condition of National Highway 65 (Mumbai Highway) and National Highway 161 (Nanded- Akola Road). The situation has not changed despite repeated appeals by the district authorities to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Drunken driving

From January to November as many as 813 accidents took place in the district resulting in the death of 413 persons and leaving as many as 864 persons injured. In addition to improper signalling system, drunken driving was also found as a reason for the accidents.

For instance, in the year 2016 as many as 900 accidents took place registering 454 deaths and 990 injuries. In the next year 2017, 363 people died and 960 injured in 806 accidents. Last year, 794 accidents took place killing 381 people and injuring 898. At many places lack of proper signals and lighting was stated to be the reason for accidents.

In the last four years as many as 1,611 people died and 3,712 got injured in accidents in the district.

“We have made repeated appeals to the authorities of NHAI, Collector, and the municipal authorities. But there has been no response at all. We become helpless in this regard. Even the public is not so serious about the accidents. In the town itself, people are jumping the six-foot-high dividers least caring about their safety. Many drivers even did not even switch on indicators while taking turn, resulting in accidents. On the other hand, overspeeding is also a reason for accidents,” said a police officer.