Overspeeding main cause of frequent mishaps in Paonta Sahib

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, November 21

A spate of road accidents in the industrial area of Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur district has exposed chinks in traffic management. Three lives were lost in five accidents in the last 24 hours.

While two deaths occurred on the Paonta Sahib national highway, one occurred on the Paonta Sahib-Shillai national highway since yesterday evening, said Bir Bahadur, DSP, Paonta Sahib. Overspeeding has been identified as the major cause of these accidents.

The condition of roads adds to the problems. Impediments such as encroachments on the roads and the presence of electricity poles at various junctions such as Vishwkarma, Bangran, Y-point and Badripur deter the smooth flow of traffic during peak hours. Traffic is particularly unmanageable in the evening.

“The presence of several link roads that converge on the main road has further worsened the problem of traffic. Being the lone entry and the exit point to Uttarakhand from Himachal, it adds to the traffic chaos in the town as thousands of vehicles cross the Paonta Sahib highway every day,” said Bir Bahadur, DSP, Paonta Sahib.

Besides, the police are facing a shortage of staff to cater to voluminous traffic. Barely six policemen are available at a given time. Being an industrial area, more than one lakh vehicles, including two-wheelers, heavy vehicles such as trucks and tippers, buses and private cars enter and leave the area.

“Interventions like erecting speed-breakers at the entry of link roads can help check speeding motorists,” said Bahadur.

He added that immediate staff enhancement was also required for effective policing, as it could help check rash and negligent driving.

He said that the matter would be taken up with PWD officials to erect requisite speed-breakers and other such interventions.