A family returning from Bareilly (In U.P.) by road after attending a marriage is hit around 2 am by a truck on National Highway 24, after entering the state capital. The truck-cleaner was at the wheel as the driver was deaddrunk and fast asleep. The family members receive near-fatal injuries and need emergency medical attention but police and ambulance are nowhere in sight.

The police patrol is stationed in one place and is busy collecting ‘taxes’ from over-loaded trucks. No ambulance service is available at short notice, neither are there any well-equipped hospitals on the highway. The only way out: Rush the victims to KGMU’s Trauma Centre. However, by the time the injured finally reach the Trauma Centre— after undergoing a lot of hiccups in between— it is often too late.

This is almost a daily occurrence on the three highways (NH24, NH28, NH56) passing through the state capital which have become a virtual death-bed for commuters. There are hardly any effective arrangements for providing emergency treatment to those who meet with accidents. Private hospitals located on the highways avoid admitting seriously injured patients before the arrival of police to avoid legal hassles. The role of the police has been as lackadaisical as ever with lethargic patrolling, no monitoring of traffic movement and so on.

According to the figures provided by the SSP’s office, there were more than 134 deaths and 181 serious injuries in 2006 in accidents that took place on the three highways. In all, 217 cases were filed with different police stations located on the highways of the district. NH24 is the worst affected with maximum deaths as well as seriously injured. NH28 and NH56 offer close competition. And mind you, these are official figures. As is well known, cases are reported mostly when a death occurs.

Statistics show that most of the accidents involve trucks. It is mostly the two-wheeler riders who are at the receiving end. A well-publicised sting operation done by TOI some months back had brought to light the snail-paced reaction of government hospital ambulance services. During the night the service takes a turn for the worse.

An Interceptor — fitted with the latest gadgets for reading the number plate of a speeding vehicle, to gauge the speed at which a vehicle is being driven and fitted with a breath analyser, et al — was put into operation with much fanfare a few months back. But till date no case of accident or drunken driving has been solved with the help of these interceptors.

When the West and even our own metros are thinking — and managing — traffic movements on their highways by making special arrangements during bad weather and using TV surveillance and so on, we have failed to make use of even what is available. Lucknow is a metro only in terms of exceeding the 10 lakh population. We still have a long way to go. And the administration is only prolonging the journey.

Source: TOI(Lucknow-epaper)

Entry Filed under: Other Road Accidents