Roads during Games safest in a decade

In the last decade, Delhi roads were safest during the two weeks of October.

In the last decade, Delhi roads were safest during the two weeks of October.

HT Image

More than 3,000 traffic police personnel pulled off from various traffic circles and deployed every 200 metres along the 105-km-long dedicated Games lane brought down the total number of fatal accidents reported in the city by 55 per cent. The total number of fatal accidents in the first two weeks was 47.

“While 104 fatal accidents had been reported from October 1 to 15 in 2009, this year's figure is less than half of that figure. In fact, it's the lowest number of fatal accidents reported during the same fortnight in the last 10 years," said Satyendra Garg, joint commissioner of police (traffic).

According to the traffic police figures, 92 fatal accidents had been reported during October 1 to 15 in 2000. The figure had gone down to 83 in 2001 and dipped further to 52 in 2002. The figure rose to 92 in 2006. 2007 and 2008 saw 86 fatal accidents each.

"But this year's corresponding time period has seen marked improvement in two respects: Not only has the figure seen a dip of more than 55 per cent as compared to 2009 but by coming down to 47, it has also trumped the previous lowest figure of 52," Garg said.

The traffic police attribute the reduction to a month-long hiatus of goods carriers during the day and private buses in general. Even the total number of people prosecuted for traffic violations came down from more than to 10,000 to a mere 1,000.

"This was a major advantage when coupled with schools and government offices being shut and many Delhiites taking off for vacation. It led to the reduction in volume of traffic while higher fines ensured better road

discipline,” Garg said.