Dividers without reflectors pose threat in Kakinada

Kakinada: Dividers set up on Kakinada roads without due thought or precautions could spell a severe danger for people of the city, essentially during night times.

As part of the Smart City project, civic authorities are widening roads, constructing drains and setting up dividers in between the roads for better management of traffic. But they have not at the same time provided sufficient lighting or reflecting boards to indicate that there are dividers ahead. The dividers are nothing but black barrels.

For example, Smart City authorities have widened the road from Valasapakala to Dairy Farm. They have set up dividers in the form of black barrels. There is neither lighting arrangement nor reflectors on the barrels. Vehicle drivers are finding it difficult to spot them at night times, particularly when there is fog. Many youngsters over speed on these widened roads. Some of them have even hit the dividers. However, there has been no major mishap.

Representatives of organisations like “Better Kakinada” have highlighted this matter on social media. But civic authorities have not responded with any corrective action. Raising the matter in Spandana about poor lighting has not helped either.

ONGC’s retired general manager Vijapurapu Suvarnakumar has underlined that black barrels are invisible at night because of the winter fog. There are chances of accidents. Authorities could just put red marks on top of the barrels or stick reflectors on them to make them visible. Further, Suvarnakumar said instead of metal barrels, authorities could put up plastic barrels. These would be safer even if a vehicle hits them.

Better Kakinada founder A.P.J. Vinu says he had taken up issue with district’s higher officials as well as civic authorities. No one has responded with corrective action. Adding to the problem, Vinu said, 40 percent of public lights in Kakinada are not functioning. If officials do not respond adequately, there could be some major mishap, he warned.