The 68 km stretch of Dehradun- Delhi national highway which passes through Haridwar has no medical facility available to meet exigency. It takes hours to take the injured to the nearest Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences in Dehradun. The widening work of the national highway is taking its toll on the human lives. However, neither the state health department nor the National Highway Authority of India seems to be concerned over the matter.
Over the past four years, 1534 road accidents have been recorded on the National Highway documents. Since 2016, 584 serious road accidents have happened over the stretch in which 438 people have died while 567 have sustained serious injuries, leaving them crippled for life, as per the sources in the SSP office. Besides, 289 people have lost their vision while 1138 people have received injuries, the sources add. The refrain that is running is that despite such things happening thick and fast, NHAI is yet to rise to the occasion.
Notably, the broadening work of NH- 58 had started during 2010 Kumbh Mela. The deadline was the Ardh Kumbh Mela 2015. However, the project repeatedly jumping deadlines, things are still underway.
Taking note of the spiralling number of mishaps, the district administration has written to the NHAI to do something to stop the procession of deaths while warning it of facing adverse police reports. However, things have not improved a bit.
Speaking of the matter, DM Deepak Rawat said, “It is a serious issue that the road accidents are on the rise. Many are dying. The long dragging widening works are compounding the situation on the roads.”