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Smart City Mission: Ludhiana MC to appoint traffic consultant for ₹26-crore road-safety project
MC officials said all main roads, chowks and entry points of the city will be covered under the project
Ludhiana municipal corporation (MC) has decided to rope in a traffic consultant for the ₹26-crore road-safety project being planned under the Smart City Mission.
Earlier, the authorities were working on the project without consulting an expert, to which cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu and mayor Balkar Sandhu raised objections.
“MC officials are not technically aware about traffic rules, and requirements to make roads safe. We have been receiving complaints that speed breakers are not established properly and road markings are not in place. So, it has been decided that a traffic consultant will be appointed for the project. The matter was discussed when cabinet minister Ashu reviewed Smart City projects last week,” Sandhu said.
All major roads will be covered under the project, and steps will be taken to increase visibility at night, including thermoplastic marking on roads and installation of cat eyes.
MC officials said all main roads, chowks and entry points of the city will be covered under the project and measures will be taken to reduce road accidents which take place due to lack of precautions and road safety infrastructure.
With no cat eyes and road markings, a large number of road mishaps occur every year in the district, especially during foggy weather conditions.
600 LIVES LOST IN ROAD MISHAPS ANNUALLY
As per data compiled by Punjab Police till 2018, on an average, 599 people die in road mishaps in Ludhiana district every year.
As per data, as many as 673 persons died in 2016, while 518 lost their lives in road mishaps in 2017. At least 604 lives were snuffed out in road accidents in 2018.
As per a report released by Tandrust Punjab Mission director KS Pannu in September last year, Ludhiana district has the second-most blackspots in the state with 91. In the report, Sahnewal bridge was said to be the most risky spot, recording 22 deaths in three years (2016, 2017 and 2018).
