Shimla witnesses dip in road accidents, deaths

Tribune News Service

Sameer Singh

Shimla, October 27

Road accidents and injuries and deaths in mishaps have seen a substantial decline in Shimla district this year. Also, there has been a drastic decline in the number of accidents during the apple season.

The data procured from the Police Department reveals that 140 persons were killed and 579 injured in 295 road accidents in 2022 (till October). The number of accidents declined to 235 (registering a 17 per cent fall) while 99 deaths in accidents were reported (29 per cent decline) and 366 persons (36 per cent decline) were injured till October this year.

During the apple season (July to October), 65 persons lost their lives and 255 were injured in 142 road accidents in 2022 whereas this year, 32 deaths were reported (50 per cent decline), 130 persons were injured (49 per cent decline) in 79 accidents (44 per cent decline).

Senior police officials attribute this fall in the number of road accidents and fatalities to the application of advanced and innovative traffic management methods this year. A total of 65,301 vehicles, including trucks and trailers, have transported more than one crore boxes of apple from Shoghi, Gumma, Balag, Fagu, Kuddu and Parala mandis in Shimla since July 22.

Shimla SP Sanjeev Gandhi says, “We have conducted a deep analysis regarding causative factors in terms of loss to life and property in road accidents. Our findings suggested that overloading, over-speeding and a lack of proficient hill driving were major factors for most of the road accidents.”

Gandhi says, “Downward driving needs skill and understanding of the pressure system on which vehicular brakes work. In hills, over application of brakes causes loss of pressure and heating up of wheels, impacting the brake system and resulting into loss of control and accidents in heavy transport vehicles.”

He adds, “Dedicated teams identified black spots. Accordingly, holding and halting points were identified where vehicles were stopped for some time before letting them resume driving. We are now working on a new system where voluntary compliance of traffic norms is our new initiative.”

The records of the Police Department also reveal that 70,000 less challans were issued this year. Gandhi says, “There is no direct relation between a high number of challans and road accidents. Our emphasis is on maximum compliance of traffic norms by sensitising public on modern methods of traffic management. To educate people on road safety, particularly traffic, schooling on roads yield better results.”The new initiatives such as a ‘One minute traffic plan’ and an ‘Apple transportation plan’ have yielded positive results, he adds.

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