With chances of fog reducing visibility on the roads, vehicles parked on the roads pose a major risk for commuters on Ludhiana-Delhi highway. NCRB data suggests that 140 persons died in 168 road accidents on national highways in Ludhiana in the year 2021 only.
This reporter found many vehicles parked on the highway on a stretch of less than 20 kilometres between Doraha and outskirts of Khanna city. At Araicha area, a logistic truck carrying gas cylinders had broken down on the road and the driver of the vehicle had placed a few small stones around it. At Mehandipur village, between Doraha and Khanna, a truck had broken down and the driver had placed two red-painted tyres near the vehicle. Two tyres rested horizontally on the road.
An onlooker said that the trucks had been parked for many hours. TOI also found that two pick-up vehicles had been parked on the national highway near Mandiala Kalan village. At some distance, a car driver parked his vehicle on the road near a juice vend.
Road markings, which help drivers locate the road during conditions of poor visibility, were either missing or had faded at many places on the highway between Doraha and Khanna. Many road markings also appeared to have been freshly painted at a few stretches.
Road safety expert Dr Kamaljit Soi said that the Ludhiana-Khanna highway was quite unsafe. “As per data, there have been around 100 road accidents between Khanna and Ludhiana. Low visibility because of fog has contributed to around 20% of road accidents on highways. As people park vehicles on the road, there are chances of fatal accidents, especially during foggy weather. It is the responsibility of NHAI to shift broken down vehicles within minimum possible time after highway patrol locates them but I think that they are not doing their job properly,” he said, adding that road markings should be prominent.
The member of National Road Safety Council said that he has taken up the matter with the minister concerned many times.
As per the NCRB’s 2021 report, nine persons have died in 10 road accidents due to vehicles parked on roads in Ludhiana while 10 persons died due to lack of road infrastructure. The report also underlined the link between weather conditions and accidents, saying that eight of the 13 victims of accidents caused by weather conditions in 2021 were from Ludhiana.
Commuters who use the road want the agency to get its act together.
Harsh Kumar Bhalla, a Khanna resident and social activist said that NHAI charges toll on the road and it was responsible for ensuring proper highway patrolling so that broken down vehicles could be taken away. He added that road markings in Khanna were missing or faded. He also flagged the issue of poor lighting at several areas.
NHAI project director could not be contacted but officials said that highway patrol does shift broken down vehicles.
They added that parking of vehicles on the road has been to be checked by the state government department. On road markings, they said that the ones that fade are repainted.
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