Published On : Tue, Nov 7th, 2017

Highways or graveyards: Over 600 accidents in 9 months. 832 deaths. 1015 injured

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Nagpur: It would not be an excess if one calls the highways graveyards if the number of accidents is the barometer. The figures are astonishing: Over 600 accidents. 832 deaths. 1015 injured. Period 9 months. Violation of traffic rules and rash driving have been attributed as the main causes of mishaps on highways. Nagpur-Chandrapur Road, among other highways, has emerged as the “hotspot” as far as accidents and casualties are concerned.

According to the RTI information provided by Highway Police to the activist Abhay Kolarkar, in the past nine months, total 832 persons were killed in ghastly accidents on highways while 1,015 were seriously injured. Nagpur-Chandrapur Road earned notoriety of sorts as it recorded the maximum 256 accidents with 139 persons losing their lives.

Further, 351 mishaps involved trucks, followed by 151 accidents of cars, and 57 of buses. A total of 369 persons died in these mishaps. In last nine months, 11 police personnel also lost their lives in mishaps. As per the records, 42 persons were killed and 129 were injured in 93 accidents that occurred on Nagpur-Akola Road while 18 persons died and 28 injured in 41 accidents on Nagpur-Amravati Road. The RTI reply further says that 21 were killed and 24 injured in accidents at Jam on Nagpur-Chandrapur Road. Nagpur-Yavatmal Highway recorded 25 accidents in which 25 persons were killed.

The areas covered by the Highway Police are as follows:

  • Nagpur to Khawasa (90 kms)
  • Deori to Nagpur (150 kms)
  • Nagpur to Malkapur (350 kms)
  • Nagpur to Nanded (377 kms)
  • Nagpur to Pimpalkhuti (176 kms)
  • Nagpur to Rajura (190 kms)
  • Nagpur to Jintur (670 kms).

Highway Police have 18 police assistance centres at Dongargaon, Gadegaon, Ramtek, Patansaongi, Khursapar, Jam, Chandrapur, Dhamangaon, Badnera, Amani, Balapur, Malkapur, Karanji, Umerkhed, Barad, Nanded, Prabhani, and Jintur. Although Highway Police, Nagpur, cover a long distance but still it is understaffed. The posts of 17 Assistant Police Inspectors in Nagpur, 14 in Amravati, and 8 in Nanded are vacant. Also, the posts of 78 Police Constables in Nagpur, 31 in Amravati, and 7 in Nanded are vacant. The posts of six DPCs in Nagpur, six in Amravati, and seven in Nanded are vacant, the RTI information says.