E-Paper
With 91 deaths, NH-8 is a killer stretch for pedestrians
Almost 56% of the 163 people killed in road accidents on National Highway-8 last year were pedestrians.
Almost 56% of the 163 people killed in road accidents on National Highway-8 last year were pedestrians.
According to data from the traffic police, 91 pedestrians lost their lives on the highway (in Gurgaon) till December 31, 2011.
Ignoring the magnitude of the problem, agencies concerned have not paid heed to requests for adequate pedestrian safety measures on the highway.
Also, the Haryana government and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) are at loggerheads on the issue of cost sharing for additional underpasses and subways required for pedestrian crossover facilities on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway.
The 17-km Gurgaon Expressway stretch between Delhi border and Kherki Daula toll plaza reported 86 accident deaths and 46 of these were pedestrians.
The most dangerous stretch for pedestrians turned out to be from Rajiv Chowk to Kherki Daula toll plaza with 36 deaths as there are hardly any facilities barring a footover bridge. A total of 52 people lost their lives on the 'killer' stretch.
The road from IMT Manesar to Kapriwas border (beyond Kherki Daula toll plaza) reported 48 accident deaths of which 28 were pedestrians. More than 411 fatalities were reported from across the city last year.
Approximately 10 lakh vehicles ply on the expressway and city roads every day and around 50,000 new vehicles are registered every year in Gurgaon.
To cater to the swelling traffic volume, the city requires 23 subways, 20 flyovers, 17 parking lots and AIIMS-style interchanges for smooth flow.
Shortage of traffic police personnel also adds to the chaos. There are only 425 policemen in the city to man busy intersections.
The city police blamed civic agencies for not providing adequate number of flyovers, underpasses, etc.
