Pedestrians most vulnerable on Eway

The year 2012 saw fewer accidents on the Gurgaon Expressway compared to previous years, but a large number of road accident victims are still pedestrians. HT reports.

The year 2012 saw fewer accidents on the Gurgaon Expressway compared to previous years, but a large number of road accident victims are still pedestrians.

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According to the data provided by the Gurgaon traffic police, as many as 25 deaths, out of a total of 55, were of pedestrians on this stretch in 2012.

While two- and three-wheeler drivers/passengers were the second most vulnerable on the expressway with a total of 18 deaths, cyclists, light motor vehicles (LMV) and heavy motor vehicles met with four fatal accidents each in 2012.

Eight pedestrians lost their lives on the stretch between the Sirhaul toll plaza and Rajiv Chowk. A total of nine deaths were also reported on the stretch between Hero Honda Chowk and Kherki Daula.

This is despite the fact that both these stretches have foot over-bridges (FoBs) to save pedestrians from speeding vehicles.

The portion of the expressway between Rajiv Chowk and Hero Honda Chowk has no FoB facility at present. It reported nine pedestrian deaths in 2012.

According to the officials of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Gurgaon traffic police, high casualty among pedestrians and two- and three-wheelers was a result of traffic rule violations.

Moreover, though slow-moving vehicles such as tractors are not allowed to ply on the main carriageway of the expressway, such violations are common.

Even signboards with warning messages fail to deter violators.

"Slow-moving vehicles and two- and three-wheelers are supposed to take the service roads along the expressway. But they flout norms and ply in the same lane as other speeding vehicles," officials said.

The maximum number of accidental deaths (115) was reported in 2008, when there was no iron fencing on the medians or FOBs.