Crash Barricades Proposed For Paderu Ghat Road After Accidents Spike

VISAKHAPATNAM: Paderu ghat road in ASR district has killed 28 persons in 20 months.  ASR district superintendent of police Tuhen Sinha pointed out that 15 people had been killed and 13 sustained injuries in 2022. This year, till Sunday last, 13 persons have been killed and seven injured.

Officials said measures are being taken on a war footing to prevent accidents on the ghat road. Even Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has got in touch with collectors of ASR, Anakapalle and Visakhapatnam districts following the Sunday morning accident when an RTC bus plunged into a gorge near Paderu killing two persons and injuring several.

“We will install crash barricades at dangerous curves on the ghat road. We have sent proposals to the government for immediate sanction of funds,” ASR district collector Sumit Kumar said.

SP Sinha said they have identified accident spots and set up sand drums with radium stickers at the curves. In addition, physical barricade works and road safety awareness programmes are also being conducted regularly.

“I myself conducted an awareness programme with autorickshaw drivers recently,’’ the SP stated.

The 26-km ghat road stretches from Minimuluru in Paderu mandal to Garikabanda in V. Madugula mandal. It had been built 70 years ago. Motorists have often informed media personnel that the stretch of road is not maintained properly. A former civil engineer said retaining walls are not strong enough to protect even two wheeler riders.

An activist from Chintapalle, Rajababu, said in case of an accident, the entire traffic comes to a halt. He said jungle clearance is often done after each monsoon. But it has not been taken up for several years. Sunday's accident took place as the branch of a tree had blocked a part of the road, which the bus driver tried to avoid and lost control, leading to the mishap and death of two.

During the last five months, five lives have been lost on this ghat road in two separate accidents.