In 6 yrs, poor roads, negligent driving killed 441 in Kullu district

Tribune News Service

Dipender Manta

Mandi, April 17

The poor condition of roads and negligent driving has claimed 441 lives in Kullu district in the last six years, while 1,493 people sustained injuries during road accidents.

Data assessed by The Tribune from the Police Department reveals that from 2017 to date, a total of 954 road accidents were reported in Kullu. Of the total 954 road accidents, the highest number of accidents was reported in 2019 as 211 accidents, while the lowest number was reported as 161 last year. The highest number of casualties was reported in 2019 at 131 deaths, while the lowest number of causalities was reported at 53 last year.

Similarly, the highest number of injured victims was reported in 2019 at 386, while the lowest number of injured victims was reported at 217 last year.

However, to keep a tab on traffic rule violators in Kullu district, the police department had set up an Intelligent Traffic Management System at Kullu in 2020. Under this system, the police have been doing challan of any vehicle through the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) CCTV camera if the driver of a vehicle violates traffic rules.

Over-speeding, not wearing helmet, wrong side parking and bike stunt are common violations committed by negligent drivers, who are under surveillance round the clock.

Data shows that the police had cut 4,44,729 challans under the Motor Vehicle Act for the violation of traffic rules in Kullu and collected a sum of Rs 6.99 crore as fine in the last six years.

According to the Superintendent of Police, Kullu, Gurdev Chand Sharma, the major causes of road accidents in Kullu district are rash driving, negligent driving, poor condition especially of link roads and wrong alignment of roads on national highway, state highway and link roads.

The SP stated that the police are keeping a vigil over traffic violators to reduce road fatalities and road accidents in the district. The police are doing challans, sensitising the public about traffic rules and keeping regular watch over violators for the purpose.

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