Low-cost Micro-level Traffic plan
Commissioner of Police K.C.Mahali makes a presentation on the ‘low-cost micro-level traffic planning engineering’ plan for the city on Tuesday. The City Police Commissioner, K.C. Mahali, said that the number of fatal accidents on city roads has come down by 50 per cent in May compared to the statistics of April 2008 as a result of the various measures initiated under the micro-level traffic planning study programme.
Mr.Mahali told reporters on Tuesday that the study was aimed at ensuring smooth flow of traffic and reducing the number of road accidents. The major components of the traffic planning initiated were engineering, education, enforcement, enlisting public support and emergency medical care for accident victims. Mr.Mahali said that the number of lives lost in accidents in January this year was 26, it was 25 each in February and March and it shot up to 40 in April.After the measures were initiated the number had come down to 22 in May. The Commissioner said as part of the micro-level planning initiative, Assistant Commissioners of Police, A.S. Nandakumar (Intelligence Wing), D.W. Ebenezer (Traffic Investigation Wing) and respective jurisdiction officers had put their staff together in preparing an accident map.
As many as 129 black spots on the roads that accounted for a large number of accidents had been identified. Sathyamangalam Road accounted for a maximum 14 accidents while Avanashi Road and Tiruchi Road accounted for 11 each, Palakkad Road 10 accidents followed by Thadagam Road, Perur Road and Marudhamalai Road seven each, L&T Bypass Road two, Mettupalayam Road four, Pollachi Road three accidents and other Corporation roads accounted for 67 accidents.
The accident spots had been marked on the map to help the officers initiate measures. Of the 129 cases reported, 138 persons lost their lives. The vehicle wise classification was as follows: the number of pedestrians killed was 49, motorcycle and pillion riders 67 and cyclists four. Of the two-wheeler riders killed, 65 did not wear helmets. Accidents were higher during the peak period from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Going by the statistics, Mr.Mahali urged the two-wheeler riders to wear helmet. To protect the pedestrians, the city police were on the job of identifying accident prone stretches to initiate measures such as painting of zebra crossings. The study programme would take another four months for planning the remedial measures in coordination with the Corporation, Highways, Electricity Board and all other agencies.
The implementation would take six months thus enabling the authorities to realise the dream of ensuring accident-free roads, the Commissioner said. On the location of bus stops close to traffic signals and road turnings, Mr.Mahali said that the issue would be taken up with the authorities concerned. The flow of traffic and the pattern of regulation at the Sungam Junction on Tiruchi Road including the issue of traffic signal there would be studied by a team of experts, he said.
