Chandigarh which is India’s most planned city has failed to protect its pedestrians despite having separate walking strips for them on the roads. A recent data says that 34.18 per cent road accident victims who have lost their lives are pedestrians.
The records of road accident analysis cell of Chandigarh Traffic Police stated that chances of people being hit by vehicles in the city, while they were walking or crossing the roads at intersections and roundabouts where traffic was usually slow, was high as compared to other cities.
The data compiled by the road accident analysis cell shows that a total of 117 people were killed in road accidents in the year 2013. Out of the total 117 people, 34.18 per cent of them were pedestrians. The year 2014 is also turning out to be the same as till April about 16 pedestrians have already lost their lives in accidents that took place in city.
The figures also disclosed that most of the pedestrians died while they were at zebra crossings.
In a recent such accident on May 19, a middle aged pedestrian lost his life after he was hit by a speeding truck at Daria village. The deceased, Kamlesh, was taking his evening walk in a park. While he was going towards the park, a rashly driven truck hit him from behind and left him badly injured. Following this, the victim was rushed to GMCH-32, where doctors on duty declared him brought dead.
On March 18, a rashly driven van sped away after hitting a minor girl, near EWS Colony of Dhanas. The girl succumbed to her injuries at the hospital.
Maneesh Choudhry, SSP, Traffic Police said that the UT Police is regularly conducting awareness drives to encourage pedestrians to use pavements to walk. Street lights are being constructed on the footpaths to encourage people to walk.
“Meanwhile strict action are being taken against rashly driven vehicles and traffic offenders in the city, around 5,754 challans for over speeding and rashly driven vehicles have been issued till date. While the administration has also been asked to construct speed breakers at various accident prone areas,” he added.