Adilabad: Despite frequent accidents on National Highway 44 between Adilabad to Nirmal stretch, authorities have not yet taken any corrective steps. The inaction is surprising, since personnel of the highway authority themselves have identified the black spots that are causing the numerous accidents.
They say lack of under and over bridges at required points and sharp curves are resulting in frequent accidents.
Around midnight last Sunday, four of five occupants of a car died when a truck hit the rear of the car and the car went on to smash into a lorry in its front at Seethagondi in Gudihathnoor mandal near Adilabad. All occupants belonged to a family from Adilabad town returning from Hyderabad.
Another accident-prone point is near Bhoraj check post on the Adilabad city outskirts. A woman teacher of a government school riding a bike died while taking a turn near the check post. Following the incident, NH-44 authorities created a service road at Jamdapur X road.
However, authorities have not taken such action at several other points, where there are blind spots and sharp curves. These include Gudihathnoor bus stand area, Jamdapur X road, Bhoraj check post, turning towards Jainad and Bela, apart from the road that joins NH-44 near Chanda (T).
The wrong design of the highway means vehicles cannot move into the Gudihathnoor bus stand directly from the national highway. Vehicles have to take a U-turn after some distance. If drivers are not careful, their vehicles may fall off the NH-44. Further, a speeding vehicle may hit the vehicles, including RTC buses, taking the U-turn at this point.
There are allegations that contractors have avoided construction of under and overpass bridges here to cut down on their expenditure. That for the purpose, they paid huge sums to local political leaders.
TPCC state general secretary Gandrath Sujatha of Adilabad says despite numerous accidents, national highway and transport authorities have failed in taking steps to avoid road accidents. “Till permanent measures are taken, they can at least set up signboards alerting commuters about the black spots,” Sujatha underlined.
