Vehicles involved in accidents along the New Dhansiri-DMC Toll Booth road stretch in Dimapur. (Morung File Photo)
Accounts for 38.09% of total accidents in the district
Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 23
For those accustomed to plying along the New Dhansiri Bridge to DMC toll booth in Dimapur at night, the sight of an overturned vehicle or a recovery van in the area may not be new.
With 16 accidents along the stretch from January till date, the area accounts for 38.09% of the total accidents in the district. Most of these accidents involved four-wheelers and trucks accounted for 5 of the total cases.
According to data from the Dimapur Traffic Police, while there was no fatality in these accidents, 8 injuries in total were registered in these cases.
42 accidents have been registered in Dimapur district from March 24 to May 31, 2020 with 2 fatalities and 8 injuries.
Speaking to The Morung Express, District Commissioner of Police (DCP) Traffic, Jatila Jamir said that these accidents are mostly due to over speeding and driving under influence (DUI).
Most of the incidents occurred during the night, when the traffic personnel are not on duty.
The duty hours of the traffic police is till 7:00 pm, the DCP informed.
Safety concerns
The sharp turn near the DMC toll booth has become an ‘accident prone’ area, partly due to the absence of street lights and safety indicators.
Over speeding cases are lower during the day as compared to the night time when traffic congestion is lesser. With low visibility, drivers are most likely to miss the sharp turn, resulting in accidents.
Another reason, according to frequent commuters, is the parked trucks near the toll booth. The huge trucks block the view of the drivers coming from the other end and those not accustomed to the road may be involved in accidents.
There are car workshops below the road, which have also been at the ‘receiving end’. In two recent accidents, the cars which fell off the road, crashed on the roof of the workshop.
In one case, a vehicle (Tata Sumo) landed on another car which had been kept in the workshop for repair. In another case, a vehicle crashed against an electric pole before crash landing inside a workshop located below the highway.
While the damaged electric pole has been replaced/ restored, safety measures are yet to be implemented in the area.
Safety action plan
Going by the numbers, accidents in Dimapur this year is lesser as compared to 2019 where 52 accidents and 28 injuries were reported between March to May.
However, with the New Dhansiri Bridge to DMC toll booth area becoming a ‘hotspot’ for mishaps, corrective measures are the need of the hour.
Traffic convex mirrors could be used in the blind spots of the area, reducing the visibility issues for drivers though these may work better during the day, according to the DCP.
Another measure could be installing railings along the turn with reflectors for better visibility/ indication during the night, she shared.
“We are identifying safety measures that can be adopted,” the DCP said. Traffic calming, which uses physical design and other measures like signboards, barricades etc., to improve safety for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists are being considered, she added.
With the completion of the highway, speed limits will also be set.
However, with the over speeding cases mostly linked with drunk driving at night when the traffic monitoring is unavailable, the DCP said unless drivers are responsible too, the safety measures would be of little use.
