The increasing number of road mishaps in Umarkote town has been a matter of concern. The main road (State highway) connecting to the district headquarters on which hundreds of vehicles ply is in a decrepit condition and has emerged a death trap. Carelessness of drivers, ignorance about traffic rules, drunken and rash driving, besides slack patrolling by police, are found to be major causes for spurt in accidents.
lack of civic sense is also reflected in the encroachment of roads. Markets and personal houses have encroached roads at many places. They create problem for traffic. Though the administration is aware of this, it acts as a mute spectator. Ironically, the district Collector and several other higher officials and politicians travel numerous times on the road, but they pay scant attention to the condition of the road.
“The administration has to take some steps to minimize such accidents. Adequate police arrangement must be made to check overtaking and rash driving. The road transport authority should verify the Dl’s and other relevant documents of the vehicles in regular interval to curb unauthorized plying of vehicles. The best way to prevent them is to develop civic sense among people,” said Sadanada Sahu a senior citizen of the town.