'Delhi government yet to take stock of major accident spots'

The Delhi Government is yet to take steps to rectify major accident spots in the city despite having been told of ten such 'black spots' in February, K.K. Kapila, Chairman, International Road Federation (IRF), said on Friday.

"(The) Delhi Traffic police had identified and provided a list of ten 'black spot' locations where maximum number of accidents occur, based on data collected during 2014. The total number of accident spots identified by traffic police are 128 in Delhi," Kapila said at a seminar titled 'Initiative towards combating road accidents in India'.

The seminar was held at the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) here.

The ten spots identified are: Sarai Kale Khan, Kashmere Gate chowk (Mori Gate), Nigam Bodh Ghat, Mukundpur Chowk, Dr Bhahbha Marg crossing, Punjabi Bagh Chowk, ISBT Kashmere Gate, Mahipalpur Flyover, Shani Mandir and Shahdara Flyover.

"Though fatalities have plummeted from 2,153 in 2010 to 1,532 in 2015 in Delhi, the national capital still has the dubious distinction of recording the highest number of road deaths," Kapila said.

He said the frequency of these accidents can be reduced effectively through simple ways like improving visibility, installation of street lights, redesigning of junctions etc.

"India accounts for 10 per cent of the total global road deaths. During the year 2015 more than 1.46 lakh people died in road accidents and India is signatory to UN Decade of Action programme to reduce road deaths by 50 per cent by the year 2010," he said.

He urged the politicians to work together and introduce the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2016 during the ongoing Parliament session.

In its turn towards making the roads safe, SPA also announced that it will offer a masters' programme on road safety in its curriculum.

"Architects, designers and engineers have a major role in reducing road accident deaths in the country. The School of Planning and Architecture on its part has introduced Road safety as part of curriculum in its master," P.K. Sarkar, Director, Department of Transport Planning, SPA said.

--IANS

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