NH-73 claimed 29 lives in over 64 accidents in last one year

“The facility of roads should be provided in such a way that people can drive safely. There should be clear signage, boards for speed limits, blinkers, however, that information is missing on this stretch. One has to look for signboards, and there are not many warning signs,” said Commissioner of Police, Ambala-Panchkula, O P Singh. The two-laned highway records high traffic all day long, including large number of trucks plying from Baddi, Shimla, Parwanoo to Delhi, and vice-versa, apart from public buses and personal vehicles. As many as 25 lives were lost, 33 injured in 51 accidents reported in 2014, and four deaths in 13 accidents in last three months, on the stretch.

Apart from lesser number of boards indicating speed limits, there are insufficient number of sign-boards, warning about T-points, even as the existing ones call for maintenance. The need for blinkers and eye-reflectors on the stretch has also been highlighted in the past, to prevent accidents due to overtaking.

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According to the Panchkula Traffic Police, the absence of hazard marking pole and warning signs ahead of two minor bridges near Nada Sahib Gurdwara, and T-points near Moginand and Ramgarh also lead to accidents in night hours.

Skirting the issue, Project Director, NHAI, O C Mathur, however blamed the commuters on the highway, for rash driving and negligence, which according to him, leads to maximum accidents. “These days, driving licenses are given without proper test, and people drive recklessly on highways, causing accidents. People should driver carefully. Most accidents took place because of overtaking,” he said.

When questioned about the need for more signage, indicators and eye-reflectors on the highway, Mathur plainly said “the existing ones are enough”. “We are waiting for the four-laning of the highway, and we will put up more sign-boards after that,” he said, adding that NHAI has already invited bids for the four-laning project, and tenders will be opened in April to award the contract. However, till then, the stretch will continue to remain a killer stretch.