Date:01/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/01/stories/2008030155860300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

NHAI pulled up for delay in repairing roads

Staff Reporter

ADILABAD: Even as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) authorities blamed driver of the ill-fated jeep for the February 24 Bandam road accident, Collector Ahmad Nadeem asked them in no uncertain terms to complete the repairs on the NH 7 stretch passing through Adilabad district by April end. At the road safety meeting held on Friday, bad condition of the road had come out as one of the main reason for that accident that had claimed 16 lives.

The NHAI representatives including its Project Director in Adilabad, Krishnamurthy and independent consultants were reluctant to accept that ill maintenance was the reason for drivers of the jeep and lorry taking wrong lanes at the accident spot. Besides human error they said overloading of passengers resulted in the accident. However, Mr. Nadeem pointed out that human error notwithstanding, the present condition of the road did not in any way showed that it was of the NH standards. Mr. Krishnamurthy sought time until April to complete the repairs. He also called for regular coordination between police and RTA officials to curb overloading of passengers in jeeps and autos in order to prevent road accidents.