Hyderabad: Despite deploying patrol vehicles and adopting safety measures, the Outer Ring Road has turned into a death trap. As many as 118 accidents have been recorded on the ORR, and Cyberabad police has booked 2,72,368 traffic violation cases in six months.
A report submitted by the Cyberabad police said that drunk driving and over-speeding had been identified as key factors for mishaps on the ORR. Shocked by the data, police feels that they require more equipment to guard the ORR.
Cyberabad police commissioner V.C. Sajjanar has asked the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority to co-ordinate with police and provide them a budget to procure more vehicles and men for not only minimising the loss of life but also raising the awareness among commuters.
Mr Sajjanar said that with the existing vehicles and staff it cannot keep 24/7 vigil on the ORR.
In January last year, the traffic police recorded a vehicle speeding at 208 kmph between Shamirpet and Keesara. The speed limits were brought down and six patrol vehicles deployed with speed laser guns to deter drivers. Reflective tape was fixed and first aid kits provided.
In spite of deploying patrolling vehicles, as many 2,43,026 speeding cases were registered from January to June. Cyberabad police has booked 23,247 no-parking cases, 4,248 vehicle breakdowns, 37 drunken driving cases, 26 overloading cases, 182 pedestrian crossing cases, 304 private vehicles carrying passengers, 96 excess passenger, 1,251 two-wheelers travelling on ORR and 118 road accident cases.
The police in their report said that by deploying six vehicles between Pedda Golconda and Shamshabad and on the Shamshabad-TSPA, TSPA-Gachibowli, Nankramguda-Kolluru, Sultanpur-Medchal and Medchal-Shamirpet stretches it has managed to prevent several accidents. The police has asked HMDA to provide logistic support to monitor the ORR round the clock.
Police also asked HMDA to provide monetary support for vehicle maintenance, fuel expenses and salaries of six drivers who work in three shifts. Asked about this, ORR chief general manager S.K. Muzaffer Imam said that the proposal has not reached them and once it does, it would be discussed with HMDA commissioner.
Adding to the woes, highly placed sources in HMDA said that the ORR had been damaged at several places by vehicles travelling to the TRS’ Pragathi Nivedika meeting.
The HMDA had allowed temporary exits to be built without damage to the ORR infrastructure and had given several guidelines. None of these were followed and footpaths have been damaged at several parking locations from Bongloor to Tukkuguda. Crash barriers have been removed at several locations posing grave threat to commuters. Sources said animals, which were invisible during night, had been running into vehicles.
