Maharashtra records 100% rise in spots prone to road accidents

The number of accident prone spots in Maharashtra has gone up by nearly 100%, with the state registering 1,324 accident prone spots in 2018 compared to 634 last year

The number of accident prone spots in Maharashtra has gone up by nearly 100%, with the state registering 1,324 accident prone spots in 2018 compared to 634 last year, according to a report by a panel formed by the Supreme Court.

Accident spots at Flyover at lower Parel in Mumbai, India. (HT File Photo)

Accident prone spots, or black spots, are areas which witness five or more deadly accidents in three years. The state ranks third in the country with about 12,250 road fatalities every year.

With 51 ‘black spots’, Mumbai ranks sixth in the list. Rural parts of Nashik district have the highest number of black spots at 107, followed by Nanded (87), Kolhapur (85), Satara (84), rural Aurangabad (63) and Brihan Mumbai (51). In the 2017 list, Kolhapur was ranked first with 61 black spots, followed by Nashik Rural (58), Mumbai (39), Wardha (38) and Dhule (37). In 2018, National highways have the highest number of black spots (628), followed by state highways (315), district roads (374) and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway (7). In 2017, the number of black spots on national highways was 307, while state highways had 307 spots and others 242.

A senior official associated with the process said the list of black spots are prepared on the directives of a committee set by the Supreme Court to curb road accidents in the country. Mostly police identify black spots.

The issue came for the discussion in the 7th meeting of the state road safety commission, chaired by transport minister Diwakar Raote, on Monday.

Transport secretary Ashish Singh said the number of black spots had increased mainly because of the wrong classification of the roads.

“About 30 kilometre long village roads are now classified as MDR (main district roads). This is one of the major reasons for the increase in the number of black spots in the state,” said Singh. An RTO officer said the department has taken up several short and long measures to make the roads safer.