Gurgaon roads most unsafe in state

Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, August 28

A survey by the Traffic and Highway Department has endorsed the fact that the city authorities continue to be indifferent to the fact that Gurgaon has the most unsafe roads in the state with a high risk of accidental deaths.

The survey was conducted to take steps towards accident-free traffic management. It took into account road accidents on major intersections in all 21 districts where four or more deaths have been reported in 2012, 2013 and 2014. In the survey report prepared by DIG (traffic and highways) Sibash Kabiraj, 31 spots have been identified across the state and ironically, 25 are in Gurgaon followed by four in Faridabad, one in Kaithal and one in Panchkula. The report also states that barring Kaithal, no other district authority has done anything to reduce the risk factor at these spots.

The report further highlights that out of 129 accidental deaths during this period, 125 were reported from Gurgaon. The report also holds lack of speed breakers and traffic signals, ill-designed roads and encroachments on roads responsible for these deaths. Ten deaths occurred at Himgiri Chowk, 10 at Qutub Plaza, 12 at Mahavir Chowk, nine at Z Chowk near Sector 28, 12 at the Kanhai intersection and nine on the Golf Course Extension Road crossing. All this due to lack of traffic signals, the report states.

At some of these intersections, accidents took place because traffic signals were switched off after 10 pm, the report has pointed out.

“No matter what happens on roads, it’s the police that draw the flak. The truth is most of the accidents here happen due to bad engineering, poor road conditions and infrastructure,” said Police Commissioner Navdeep Singh Virk.

“This report should be seen vis-a-vis the expenditure of both MC and HUDA. HUDA claims to have exhausted funds, but not even a single road can endorse development work. It’s time the authorities wake up to the situation,” said Raman Sharma, social activist.