Andhra Pradesh

Number of highway accidents drops

Staff Reporter

Arterial roads witness more cases

Sangareddy: While the number of fatal accidents on the three major highways of Medak district has come down in the recent months, the number surprisingly increased on the arterial and rural roads. There were 468 accidents on these arterial roads taking the lives of 166 during the first five months of 2007. The total number of persons injured in these roads was 991. On the other hand 40 people were killed in 95 accidents on NH 7, 98 in 200 accidents on NH 9 and 44 in 111 accidents on Rajiv Rahadari. Over 683 people were injured in these accidents.

Speaking to The Hindu, Medak Superintendent of Police R.B. Nayak said that the number of accidents on highways had drastically come down except in the month of May due to partial completion of road widening, especially NH 9. The SP said that the spurt in the month of May could be attributed to the seasonal rush owing to festivities, jataras and marriages in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra borders. He said that a majority of accidents, particularly in the rural areas, occurred due to rash and negligent driving.

The Medak highway patrol, which is equipped with eight patrolling vehicles manning every 30-km stretch on highways, finds the vehicles from other states elusive because of ineligible registration numbers.

While a majority of the vehicles arrive from Gujarat, Madhyapradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka, many do not sport number plates in the rear end. Some also display number plates in their local language, making it impossible for the patrolling officers to note down the number.

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