1/09/2017
PUNE: Riding a
two-wheeler on the roads in Pune city and Pimpri-Chinchwad continues to remain
an unending nightmare for residents, with a staggering 132 riders losing their
lives in a span of just seven months this year and over 250 suffering serious
injuries. The dead include as many as 75 young riders, those below 40, a
frightening scenario for families which lose key member.
What is equally shocking is none of the 132 riders or pillion
riders were found wearing a helmet, say police, who are now laying emphasis on
reining in the tendency to ‘overspeed’ among riders by launching an enforcement
drive.
According to figures available with the Pune traffic police
department, up to July end, 96 bikers, 17 scooterists and 19 moped riders were
killed in accidents on roads within the jurisdiction of the Pune Municipal
Corporation (PMC) and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corpora-tion between
January and July. And as many as 260 are those who suffered serious injuries to
their heads and limbs, some of whom could still be laid up on hospital beds.
Another 130 are those who have suffered minor injuries. In the
corresponding period in 2016, 114 two-wheeler riders were killed and 226 were
seriously injured, meaning this year there were more fatalities and serious
injuries.
The figures reveal that up to the age of 40 and less, at least
75 young riders lost their lives. Sixteen riders who lost their lives are
between the ages of 45 and 60. There are at least 31 riders whose age the
police could not confirm. Some of them, police say, are young riders.
Attributing the rise in two-wheeler accidents to the tendency
to overspeed, especially among youngsters, Deputy Commissioner of Police
(Traffic) Ashok Morale said, “We believe that overspeeding is one of the major
causes for the constant two-wheeler accidents. If the riders keep their speed
in control, there would be less fatalities and serious injuries.”
Over the years, the Pune traffic police always called upon the
youngsters to exercise self-restraint while riding but their pleas have
consistently fallen on deaf ears, say civic activists.
However, the traffic police this time seem to have decided to
take up the issue in all seriousness and purpose. “We will launch a drive to
rein in overspeeding tendency among two-wheeler riders, especially youngsters.
We are sure this will help in saving lives…,” said DCP Morale. The drive, he
said, will be launched after Ganesh festival. The enforcement, Morale said,
will include a check on overspeeding as well as ensuring that riders wore
helmets. “Our drive against mandatory wearing of helmets is under way and will
be stepped up after the festival,” he added.
Civic activists, however, argue that overspeeding was only one
of the causes for two-wheeler riders constantly losing their lives on Pune’s
roads. “Overspeeding by bikers is one of the main causes, but we also need to
look closely at other factors responsible for the accidents. The civic bodies
like PMC and PCMC are equally responsible for the avoidable deaths of the
two-wheeler riders,” said Prashant Inamdar, convener of Pedestrians First.
Inamdar said that after every accident, a proper investigation
needed to be conducted to find out the elements responsible. “For instance, we
need to check whether road dividers are properly painted in white so that they
are visible for rides at night, whether speed-breakers are according to norms
or of abnormal size, whether the roads are properly illuminated, whether the
roads are potholed or had craters…We need to examine each and every aspect of
the state of roads before coming to a conclusion,” he said.
Once a proper investigation is done, Inamdar said, the report
should be sent to the civic bodies like PMC or PCMC and cantonment boards for
their corrective actions and taking negligent officials to task. “It is the
responsibility of the civic bodies and cantonment boards to ensure that the
road conditions are safe for the users. And they should punish officials who
are found wanting in their duty,” Inamdar said.
“A scientific investigation can be conducted only by road experts who could be hired by the traffic police. The report could be discussed by traffic police with the civic bodies for necessary corrective action,” Inamdar said.
0 comments:
Post a Comment