2,556 deaths on U'khand roads in 3 yrs: Officials look for solution

DEHRADUN: A bus fell into a gorge in Chamoli district on Thursday, killing eight, including six teachers. On Wednesday, a French tourist was among five dead as another vehicle plunged down the mountain near Yamunotri. Two weeks ago, British biker Victor James Fox, 22, lost his life as he slipped down a ravine along with his bike while he was en route to Gangotri.

Uttarakhand's deadly roads are taking lives by the hundreds and no one seems to have a solution in mind. This year from January 1 till April 30, there have been 313 deaths. Last year, there were around 913 accident fatalities. In 2014, the number was 878. The figure was 765 in 2013. If the deadly incidents till now this year are any indication, the toll may cross 1,000 by the end of the year.

The past fortnight particularly was horrifying as far as accidents in the hills are concerned, with almost two dozen deaths being reported since May 12. These accidents not only question the safety of the state's roads during the peak tourist season but also highlight the apathy of concerned officials and departments in not doing enough to tackle the problem.

Incidentally, most officials concur on the reasons behind the accidents. “Absence of parapets-crash barriers, over-crowding, untrained manoeuvring at sharp turns, drunken driving, tiredness of drivers, poor maintenance of vehicles and driving while playing loud music are the major factors,“ said Ram Singh Meena, additional director general of police (administration). He added that the best way to bring down these accidents was to look for “pragmatic solutions.“

As to what these solutions can be, nobody has any clear answers although the rising road fatalities (the number of deaths have increased from 698 in 2001 to 913 in 2015) have certainly set alarm bells ringing.