Bhopal: Rain-Battered City Roads Giving Commuters 'The Slip'; 154 Road Accidents Reported Within 1.5 Months

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): As heavy downpours continue to lash the city, two-wheeler rides on the rain-battered roads have become increasingly unsafe for commuters. Data from the Bhopal police reveals that nearly 154 road accidents have taken place within the past one-and-a-half months since the onset of the monsoon. And majority of these mishaps have taken place on roads other than the black spots listed by the traffic police.

The 11-mill road on Ayodhya Bypass has logged a total of 83 road accidents in the past one-and-a-half months, majorly due to overgrown bushes at road dividers. These bushes disrupt the view, preventing commuters from seeing traffic coming from the right, leading to collisions. A similar situation has been reported on the Aakriti Eco City Road in Bawadiya Kalan, where overgrown bushes and trees make it difficult for commuters at the junction to see traffic coming from the other side.

39 lives lost during the period

During the said period, road accidents have claimed a total of 39 lives in the city. And only four deaths occurred at identified black spots- Karond, Link Road, Bag Sewaniya Road, and Misrod area. Surprisingly, the Kolar area, where roads are in sorry state due to the ongoing six-lane construction work, is not on the black spot list even as the area often reports two-wheeler skidding incidents.

Stray cattle, construction material on roadside exacerbates conditions

Presence of stray cattle in the middle of the road at areas such as Shaitaan Singh Square, Shahpura Lake Road, Chunabhatti, and Patrakar Colony road are also responsible for the numerous road accidents daily. Besides, in these areas construction materials like sand and gravel are often placed on the roadside, occupying a major portion of the road causing inconvenience to commuters. When Free Press spoke to the deputy commissioner of police (traffic), Sanjay Singh, he stated that the civic body would be notified to ensure upkeep of roads and take action against those placing their belongings on the roadside.