Hyderabad: The absence of signboards for regular maintenance works and roadblock on 168 km long Outer Ring Road (ORR), Hyderabad has rendered it into a death trap.
According to the figures released by Cyberabad and Rachakonda Police stations, 34 accident deaths were reported in 2020. Referring to the V-shape diversions on Expressway divider, S.P. Inchoory, Vice President (South) Structural Engineers, World Congress said, “These are the places where a maximum number of accidents takes place. This happens because there were no signboards placed to warn the drivers about the impending diversion.”
Inchoory further said, “The vehicles in general travel at a speed of 80 to 100 kmph. It is impossible for the drivers to suddenly lower the speed when they see the diversions. If the drivers avoid the wrong lanes and keep their parking lights on, many accidents can be avoided on ORR. Many four-vehicle drivers change the lanes without using the indicators and go into the truck lane which often leads to accidents.”
Some of the dangerous places on ORR, Hyderabad are:
Ghatkesar: The high speed is the cause of concern here.
Amberpet Toll plaze: Frequently, the vehicles crashed in the railing.
Nasingi: Vehicles crashed with the dividers. Many persons died due to a collision from vehicles coming from the opposite directions.
Shankarpally: The vehicles were overturned here after crashing into road dividers.
Gachibowli – Shamshabad: Fast vehicles crashed into stationary vehicles here.
In December 2019, the state government had conducted a safety study on ORR and formed a team to undertake fencing, crossing signage, lighting, camera-based speed enforcement. The experts said that there must have been a people’s representative in the team to show where the commuters are facing the issues. The experts have advised the concerned authorities to record the timings of entry and exit of the vehicles to impose fines on those violating the traffic rules.