Bengaluru: With torrential rains not letting up and the condition of roads deteriorating steadily, causing accidents across the city, Commissioner, Road Safety and Traffic, D. Roopa, has suggested making road construction authorities criminally liable for accidents arising out of potholes and unscientific speed-breakers.
She has written to the Select Committee of the Rajya Sabha, suggesting certain changes to the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, passed recently by the Lok Sabha and awaiting approval by the Rajya Sabha. The Select Committee is expected to submit its report on the first day of the Winter Session.
Pothole
Ms Roopa pointed out that a considerable number of accidents occur, not due to the negligence of riders, but because of the apathy of road construction authorities. “Be it the National Highway Authorities of India, Public Works Department or the civic body, they ought to be held accountable for accidents due to their negligence and they should be made liable for punishment,” Ms Roopa suggested.
The city has seen a number of accidents, especially involving two-wheeler riders, because of potholes. On October 3, three accidents involving bike riders were reported in the city that claimed two lives. In these accidents, the riders were trying to avoid potholes.
The commissioner also suggested amending Section 50 of the Motor Vehicles Bill to make it mandatory for buyers and sellers of used vehicles to appear before the jurisdictional RTO and get the ownership transferred. “In most cases, the transfer of vehicles to the buyer is happening only on paper and never submitted to the RTO concerned for the transfer of ownership. Many of the notices generated against the offending vehicles are
reaching the previous owners and in case of accidents it is becoming difficult to fix the ownership,” she said.
She suggested that the availability of parking space inside a house compound should be made the criterion for registration of vehicles, mainly four-wheelers, to avoid parking on roads which leads to congestion.
