Gurugram: Gurugram traffic police initiated a drive to identify potholed roads across the city to curb accidents. Police said potholed roads not only cause accidents but also result in the slow movement of traffic during peak hours, resulting in congestion.
Traffic police teams have also been directed to identify blackspots where maximum accidents are being reported in the last one year.
Gurugram reported 915 accidents in 2022, causing 360 fatalities. According to police data, 409 people were killed in road accidents in 2021, while 375 lost their lives in the year 2020.
The traffic police in April last year had launched the Integrated Road Accident Database (IRAD), which is aimed at highlighting road engineering defects, identifying blackspots and reducing road accidents in the city.
As per the IRAD data, speeding led to 322 accidents in Gurugram last year, killing 120 people.
Virender Singh Sangwan, deputy commissioner of police (traffic), said they have deployed teams and traffic marshals to collect data of unsafe stretches with maximum potholes.
“We have been writing to the civic agencies to repair roads and fill potholes at the earliest to ensure a smooth commute for residents. We have taken up this issue in all the road safety meetings and have now decided to collate data of roads that are riddled with potholes,” DCP Sangwan said.
The DCP said that road fatalities will increase if the potholes are not repaired in a timely manner. “We are aiming to reduce accidents in 2023 and for that we need pothole-free roads and proper lighting arrangements,” he said.
Police said pedestrians and two-wheelers are the most vulnerable road users and a lot of them are impacted due to the poor quality of roads and potholes.
Major stretches identified by the police that needs the attention of the civic agencies include Sector 10, Golf Course Extension Road, Southern Peripheral Road, Sector 66, Sector 57, Sector 51, Palam Vihar, Shankar Chowk, MG Road, Sidhrawali, Bajghera, Manesar and many internal sector roads. Police said that about 38% of accidents were caused due to potholes on these stretches.
DCP Sangwan said a WhatsApp group has been created where location of potholes ranging from 4 square feet to 25 square feet area are being reported.
Gurugram deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said that to improve commuting experience and ensure safety of road users, particularly pedestrians, the civic agencies will develop model roads across the city and fix all blackspots. “The focus will also be on road engineering and other safety measures. All agencies must ensure that roads are pothole-free to ensure safe driving across the city,” he said.
Sarika Panda Bhatt, a road safety expert and co- founder of Raahgiri Foundation, said that potholes are also present on highways. “They are a major concern when it comes to road safety. Accidents have a lot to do with potholed roads. In many cases, a minor accident can have serious ramifications due to potholes. The internal injuries can be severe and can last for one’s lifetime,” she said.
