Transport corpn conducts survey of accident zones

HUBBALLI: NWKRTC has conducted a survey - said to be first of its kind in the state - of accident zones under its nine divisions. Of the 150 zones identified, Dharwad district, covering Hubballi city, mofussil and Dharwad mofussil divisions, accounted for 60 accident zones.

Belagavi district, involving Belagavi and Chikodi divisions, has 41 accident zones. NWKRTC submitted a proposal to the public works minister seeking appropriate measures. However, other road users are criticising the report, saying it focuses only on bus routes.Priyanga M, managing director, NWKRTC, Hubballi, told TOI NWKRTC operates in six districts - Dharwad, Belagavi, Uttar Kannada, Haveri, Gadag, and Bagalkot - in Kittur Karnataka region.

"The security and vigilance wing of NWKRTC was instructed to conduct a survey and prepare a report on accident zones. We identified spots where our buses and private vehicles often meet with road crashes due to deficiencies and a lack of road safety measures.

Our survey was conducted on national highways, state highways, major district roads, and ordinary district roads. We submitted a detailed proposal to the public works minister Satish Jarkiholi and officials so that they can take corrective measures like installing display boards, railings/ barricades, solar lights, evacuating illegal buildings, road markings, and constructing bus shelters in the interest of road users," she explained.

Criticising the report, Shekharayya Mathapati, president, Hubballi Auto Owners' and Drivers' Association, said the survey is incomplete as it focused only on stretches on bus routes. "There are about 17,000 autorickshaws in Hubballi city alone. The number of private vehicles like cars and two-wheelers is enormously high. But we do not have a platform to express our suggestions on accident zones. PWD never approached us to identify accident zones.

Only traffic police often call us to suggest black spots. How did NWKRTC, which can reach 20-30% areas of the city, conduct the survey?" he asked.He suggested that the District Road Safety Committee should convene a meeting of road users to identify black spots and instruct PWD to take corrective measures. "The govt should keep this report aside and elicit opinion of all stakeholders," he said.