Nagpur: It is very ironical that just 3 days ago Nagpur Metro had initiated a ‘ safety campaign’ mostly for their employees to instill the importance of Road Safety among other things.
“We are very safety concerned and are constantly endeavoring to create awareness about it in general populace also. That is why we have multiple warning signs painted at all our construction sites advising commuters to drive slowly, follow instructions of Traffic marshals and be vigilant” says Dr. Brijesh Dixit, M.D. of Maha Metro speaking exclusively to NT Editor late last night.
He had been gheraoed, shouted at and literally put in a corner by many opposition party politicians, and their followers, as if he was personally responsible for the death of the three college kids yesterday.
It was as if the frustration of all Nagpurians over the sorry state of city roads with simultaneous work on Metro and Cement roads making a mess out of traffic was being taken out on him.
Someone had even ‘live streamed’ the occasion on Facebook for all to see and hear.
One imagined he would be flustered, stressed out and upset after that – any ordinary person would be.
“We have to learn to take all this in stride when you are in a public position ” says Dixit over the phone, expressing his own anguish and sadness at the tragic death of the three LAD College girls.
“If only youth on the road these days was more safety conscious!” He laments.
“Kids don’t want to wear helmets, follow speed limits, or other traffic rules. They should understand that helmets have been made compulsory for their own safety, not for anyone else’s benefit!” He goes on to say.
With narrowing of roads where Metro work is on, should heavy vehicles be plying during peak traffic time? We ask.
“We have strict rules at sites where work is going on” explains Kokate, Metro PRO.
“Where construction is still going on and barricades are up, we have many traffic marshals stopping traffic when heavy vehicles are coming out from one segment and going into another. In fact we avoid such activity completely during peak traffic” says.
Apparently, the Hydra machine was not traveling on the road for Metro work on Tuesday.
“The Contractor’s job must have ended at a particular spot, and the vehicle, which is mostly hired, was returning to its destination. Our work at the accident spot is over and therefore there were no traffic marshals present there. The vehicle was plying on the road, quite slowly, and was part of general movement” explains Kokate.
Yet taking a humanitarian view of the tragedy Metro M.D. has immediately sanctioned Rs. 10 lakhs compensation for each of the deceased girl’s family. This is the maximum amount that is in his purview.
“But we are talking to our Insurance company and also the Contractor’s firm and their insurer’s to see if we can increase this further. Losing young ones so early is a terrible shock, we understand.” Says Dixit.
At the same time he expresses hope that parents will begin enforcing habits like wearing helmets on their offspring and learning to be careful on the road.
“I hope fervently that such accidents do not repeat. In fact, the whole purpose of the Metro in Nagpur is to make travel more comfortable and safer for precisely two wheelers! Metro is not meant for the High Income people but for middle class and youth. The short term pain is for long term benefits…” Dixit says on a concluding note.
Brijesh Dixit in conversation with Sunita Mudaliar
