The dismal statistic coincides with a rise in the number of accident-prone sites on the highway network that the state government has dubbed 'black spots'.
One hundred and twenty-five people have been killed since last May in accidents on the state's highways which include precarious ghat sections. The dismal statistic coincides with a rise in the number of accident-prone sites on the highway network that the state government has dubbed 'black spots'.
The state was jolted into auditing the roadways for safety after a bus plunged into a 500-foot-deep gorge in Raigad district's Poladpur on the morning of July 28. The vehicle skidded off the narrow strip of road at Ambenali Ghat while negotiating its way to Mahabaleshwar, and all save one of its 31 occupants were killed.
In its report, the state has stated that the 'black spots' have risen from 756 in April 2017 to 1,300 now. And government sources ascribe the rise to the integration of village roads with highways to give the latter continuity and the former connectivity.
The kuccha roads have been concretised or surfaced with asphalt and have become part of state highways. So the number of black spots, which are counted only on the highways, has gone up, said the sources.
'Black spots' are sites where the road's geometry is problematic for motorists as they have to navigate hairpin bends, steep turns and heavily inclined roads on the ghats. Many of the problem zones have been found to be in the districts of Kolhapur, Aurangabad and Satara, which are home to some of the most sought-after holiday hotspots in the state including Mahabaleshwar.
The government is expected to rope in an external agency to survey the ghats and submit a report with guidelines on preventing accidents on roads leading through mountains.
On Monday, State Transport Minister Diwakar Raote, while addressing the State Road Safety Council in state guesthouse Sayhadri, had said: "There is a need to study how the number of black spots has gone up. A report will be prepared within six months that will lay down the steps for preventing accidents on ghats."
Meanwhile, another report prepared by the state transport department on the Ambenali ghat bus accident states that the driver was "distracted", which could have led to the accident.
Highway Safety Recommendations
- The state has laid out the steps to help cut down black spots on highways:
- Installing crash barriers on ghat sections
- Fixing reflectors at turning points
- Painting white reflecting lines on roadsides
- Filling up potholes
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