100 black spots still await crash barriers

Dinesh Kanwar

Hamirpur, October 14

The Public Works Department has identified more than 100 black spots on national highways, state highways and district roads, but failed to install crash barriers.

The government had announced to identify the black spots following an accident in June this year, which had claimed 45 lives.

More such spots were identified in areas, including Taunidevi, Uhal, Awah Devi, Jandru, Sujanpur, Amroh and Bhoranj.

The number of buses that ply on these dangerous roads is less and mostly overloaded.

Though law enforcing agencies took steps to check overloading, the practice is rampant.

Sources said the government had released funds to get the condition of roads improved, but to no avail. The PWD could only work on two or three black spots.

A person was killed and two others injured when the car they were travelling in fell into the Pung Khud last month.

In another incident, two persons were injured when their car skidded into a khud near Nadaun a few days ago.

Vivek Sharma, executive engineer, said the department had identified a number of black spots. The process to install crash barriers had started at two-three places.

The work would pick up pace once the funds were released, he added.