NIRGOSH GAUDE | NT
PONDA
April 2017 has turned out to be the most fatal month for road users in Ponda taluka with highest number of road accident deaths reported in a month compared to last five years. Ponda police have registered seven fatal road accidents in April with 7 people losing their lives, whereas for period of 3 months (January to March 2017), Ponda had witnessed 7 fatal road accidents with 8 people losing their lives.
According to statistics available with Ponda police for last two years, in Ponda taluka on an average 3 people lost their lives in road accidents per month, with average of 30 road accidents in a month. Earlier to that, the number of road accident or people losing their lives on road was much less in Ponda, informed Ponda police.
Over the years, road accidents have become major concern in Ponda. But if one may consider last five years, last month (April 2017) was most fatal with highest number of road deaths in Ponda, stated Ponda police.
There is no exact reason for sudden increase in number of road accidents last month and it was not just Ponda but entire state has witnessing many road accidents, stated Ponda PI Sudhesh Naik.
Over the years, the number of vehicles (especially sports bikes) has seen tremendous increase. There has been no appropriate improvement in road infrastructure considering the increase in number of vehicles. Size of the roads has remained same for years with vehicles running on them doubling or tripling, stated Naik.
“Most of the accidents occur while overtaking on the roads. Constructing dividers on the main road can be a solution to restrict accidents while overtaking. I have proposed several times to the authorities to put dividers on the main roads of Ponda, especially highways. But it seems there is lack of political will,” said Naik.
For the last four months (January to April), altogether 127 road accidents were registered in Ponda police station. Out of these, 14 were fatal, 19 serious and remaining minor. In these 127 road accidents, 15 people have lost their lives and around 57 have sustained serious injuries.
According to Ponda police, altogether 255 vehicles were involved in 127 road accidents which occurred in Ponda during the last four months out of which 99 were two-wheelers and 40 were trucks. According to police, in 2015, 36 people had lost their lives in 35 fatal road accidents while in the year 2016 also, 36 people had lost their lives in 35 fatal accidents.