New Delhi: Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) along with Public Works Department of Delhi government and International Road Federation (IRF) have chalked out a plan to treat and remove ten major accident black spots identified by Delhi Traffic police on priority basis in the capital.
Delhi Traffic Police have identified and provided a list of ten “black spot” locations where maximum number of accidents occur, based on data collected during the year 2014.
The total number of accident spots identified by Traffic Police are 128 in Delhi.
The ten spots identified include Sarai Kale Khan, Kashmere Gate chowk (Morigate), Nigam Bodh Ghat, Mukundpur Chowk, Dr Bhahbha Marg crossing, Punjabi Bagh Chowk, ISBT Kashmere Gate, Mahipalpur Flyover, Shani Mandir and Shahdara Flyover.
“Black Spots are locations having higher concentration of road accidents. Black Spots can be improved through the application of accident investigation and prevention techniques.
“This involve scientific analysis of accident data, identifying the nature and cause of accidents and designing appropriate low cost engineering interventions leading to prevention of such road accidents in the future.
“Implementation of such engineering interventions is a proven method to reduce road accidents and accident severity on blackspot locations,” said Mr K K Kapila, Chairman, International Road Federation (IRF), a global body working for safer roads across the globe.
Simple engineering measures such as improving visibility by removing hazards, installation of street lighting, redesigning of junctions and roadway to accommodate the needs of pedestrians and cyclists, provision of appropriate road markings and traffic signs etc are proven measures which significantly reduces road accidents, Kapila said.
“Delhi recorded about 1900 road deaths, which is one of the highest in the country. After the pilot project of improving the prioritised ten black spots, rest of 118 identified accident spots will be taken up in a systematic manner,” Kapila said.
IRF has suggested to Union and State governments that whenever a new road is being taken up for development, existing roads having at least three times the length of that new road shall be funded for implementing low cost safety engineering measures.