204 killed in accidents on Ahmedabad roads in six months

As per the Ahmedabad Traffic departments data, in the year 2018, a total of 1,610 cases of road accidents were reported in the city, in which a total of 320 people were reported dead in the accident including 259 men and 61 women.

While in the six months of 2019(till June) a total of 726 road accidents were reported in which 204 deaths were reported.

Traffic department's statistics of the past three years reveals that the death rate in road accidents is increasing in the city.

The officials had bifurcated the road accident cases in three different categories namely: Fatal accident cases, Major accident cases and Minor accident cases.

As per the statistics, in 2018, a total of 1,610 cases were lodged, in which 314 were fatal cases were 320 people died, 433 were major cases were 439 people sustained serious injuries and 863 were minor cases were 1,089 people sustained minor injuries.

While in 2016, there were 315 deaths were reported in the city and in 2017 the number was 294.

Confirming the statistic Tejas Patel, DCP traffic said, "We know that the death rate is increasing in the city and we are coming up with new initiatives to prevent it. As per our team's analysis, due to the increase in vehicles in the city, lack of awareness among commuters, overspeeding and lack of road infrastructure the cases are on the rise."

As per officials, in Ahmedabad people use their private vehicle for their daily commute and public transportation is hardly used.

To prevent road accidents in future, the Ahmedabad traffic department and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has started a joint operation to divert people from using private vehicles and instead use mass transport system so the city roads will have less number of the vehicle.

"We are trying to divert people but right now we not getting proper inputs, but the work is on. Apart from that, with the help of the civic body, we are installing street lights, signals, dividers etc at places wherever it is required to fix the engineering faults which cause accidents on the city roads," Patel added.

To analyse the city roads and faults in road engineering in the city, Ahmedabad Traffic department has given a work order to the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), which will study the roads of Ahmedabad and will be submitting a report to the civic authorities and the traffic department regarding it.

"On August 5 the CRRI team will be reaching Ahmedabad for the work and they will study the roads of Ahmedabad. As per their reports, the changes will be done in the road city and the solution will be done," Patel said.

It may be recalled that on July 19, three different road accident were reported in the Ahmedabad. Five people had lost their lives and 33 people were injured in the three accidents across the city on same day.

Corrective steps being taken to tackle the situation

• To analyse the city roads, Ahmedabad traffic department has given a work order to the Central Road Research Institute 
• To prevent accidents, the traffic department and AMC have started a joint operation to promote use of mass transport system
• Street lights, signals, dividers etc. are being installed across the city to bring down the number of accidents