the goan I network
MARGAO
With less than half-a-kilometer stretch of the NH-17 at Cuncolim turning out to be a killer with accidents snuffing out the lives of over a dozen people in recent times, a host of suggestions has been made to avoid accidents along the highway between NUSI hospital and Uskini bandh.
As part of the 5th UN Global Road Safety Week, beginning from Monday, a group of citizens, besides volunteers of GOACAN and consumer volunteers visited the spot to examine the possible causes behind the increasing accidents.
Retired Superintendent of Police, Tony Fernandes, who has a rich experience in traffic management, said the citizens have come to the conclusion that there ought to be no parking along the NUSI-Uskini bandh stretch for heavy vehicles. He said the small stretch of the road has virtually become a parking zone for heavy outstation goods vehicles in recent years.
He pointed out that the citizens have further decided to recommend to the authorities to erect rumbler strips on the Highway at certain spots from Uskini Bandh to check the speed of vehicles plying along the highway. “The deployment of police to regulate the speed is out of question with the men in uniform deployed for several other duties. Erection of rumbler strips will help to regulate the speed,” he added.
Activist Lorna Fernandes informed that the recommendations made by the citizens’ groups will be sent to the district consumer protection council as well as the district road safety committee to examine the recommendations and take necessary
action.
She pointed out that the small stretch of the highway from NUSI hospital to Uskini bandh has witnessed over a dozen accidents and the authorities should come out with measures to curb these.
The stretch of the NH-17 at Cuncolim was in the news last month when four members of a family from Dandeli were killed in an accident between a car and a loaded truck.
