NHAI sits idle over putting up more signage on national highways

Sincere efforts of the state government to minimise accidents on highways are not reaping desired results due to the alleged indifference of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Besides taking measures to put up road signageeven on national highways, the state traffic police had also written to NHAI authorities almost a month ago requesting it to put up more road signage at certain stretches of the thoroughfares to avert accidents.

According to a cop of the state traffic police, neither the NHAI authorities have taken any step to put up additional road signage at those stretches nor have they got in touch with the state police by replying to the letter.

"It would have come to our notice if NHAI had taken up the work of setting up more road signage without giving any intimation to us. It is not important whether we are informed or not but it would have been beneficial if they had taken up the work at the proposed points," the police officer added.

A list containing details of the stretches on different national highways identified as "black spots" after a proper survey was also being sent to the NHAI authorities along with the letter.

The "black spots" are the accident-prone stretches on highways.

When contacted, Manoj Verma, IG Traffic, confirmed that "a letter in this regard was sent to the NHAI authorities almost a month ago".

The state government had taken steps to set up more 10,000 road signage along important stretches including national highways to prevent accidents.

But more signage will be beneficial for drivers. Thus, the request was placed before the NHAI authorities. Despite repeated attempts, the NHAI authorities could not be contacted.

It may be mentioned that there were several accidents on national highways in the past few months including that of MP Abhishek Banerjee near Singur in October 2016. Subsequently, the state traffic police had urged the NHAI authorities to take several steps like installations of CCTV cameras and to ensure no parking of vehicles, mainly heavy trucks besides the national highways as it had come up as one of the main reasons behind repeated accidents.

Though steps were taken initially to solve the existing problems but presently, once again, parking of vehicles has become rampant on national highways.