Campaign to rectify black spots, check overspeeding launched in Malerkotla dist

The administration has launched a comprehensive and coordinated campaign to sensitise residents about consequences of violation of the road guidelines and traffic rules. The drive was launched following an increase in number of road mishaps in the district.

Overspeeding of vehicles and poor visibility were cited as major factors behind death of at least 10 youths in road accidents in the Malwa region recently.

Time management, using safety gadgets, including helmets and seatbelts, avoiding use of mobile phones while driving, maintaining speed and distance, not indulging in drunken driving and ensuring physical fitness of vehicles were mentioned as proactive measures to minimise road accidents.

“The state can be made free of road accidents if commuters vow to curtail vehicle speed by starting their journey only half-an-hour ahead of the scheduled time. Most fatal accidents are reported to have involved at least one driver who was in a hurry,” said Gagan Ajit Singh, the first SSP of the Sadak Surakhya Force (SSF). He claimed that overspeeding cannot save more than half-an-hour during a journey starting from Malerkotla to any part of Punjab.

Known for fastest response time during his tenure as SSP in Sadak Surakhya Force, Gagan Ajit Singh regretted that several precious lives of commuters were lost due to over-speeding before the arrival of rescue teams.

The SSP said senior functionaries in various government departments, including the civil administration, education, transport and the PWD, had prepared a draft plan to spread awareness on the issue by organising workshops and seminars, besides taking proactive measures to minimise potential risks to commuters during the forthcoming foggy weather.

Officials in the PWD have been asked to identify and rectify black spots before onset of the foggy weather during which more accidents take place during morning and evening hours. Road markings and caution signs highlighting particular span of roads prone to mishaps will be installed in coordination with officials of the traffic wing of the district police office.

Observations revealed that almost all roads connecting the youngest district of the state with other towns have multiple steep curves, narrow bridges, curves and potholed stretches which have since been identified as black spots for vehicular accidents.

Hundreds of vehicles ferrying students to and from adjoining districts have compounded issues related with the traffic management. Frequent cancellation of certain trains on the Ludhiana-Hisar railway route also forced residents to use their private vehicles resulting in swollen traffic on roads.

At least 10 youths, including two minor girls, were killed in three separate road accidents recently. Major factors behind these accidents were found to be overspeeding and poor visibility. Vehicles carrying the victims had rammed into either some other vehicle or a stationary object.

Simran, alias Simmu, Satpal Singh Sukha and Veeru of localities situated on the outskirts of Jagraon in Ludhiana, along with two minor girls from Moga district, were killed near Ladhowal village, on the Ludhiana-Amritsar highway on Sunday midnight.

Amritpal Singh, Parvinder Singh and Akashdeep Singh of Gehal village in Barnala died when the motorcycle they were riding rammed into a tractor-trailer going ahead of their two-wheeler on the Boparai Kalan road on Sunday evening.

Earlier, Novaldeep Singh of Brahampur village and Ravi Shergill of Latala village also died in a similar accident when the SUV they were travelling collided with a tree after hitting a motorcycle on the Jodhan-Pakhowal road.