Puri: The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the Puri district administration will soon remove all shops and sheds constructed illegally alongside the Bhubaneswar-Puri and Puri-Konark National Highways (NHs) to check road accidents.
A decision to this effect was taken at a recent meeting of the Parliamentary Constituency Committee for Road Safety of Puri district here.
Puri MP Pinaki Mishra presided over the road safety committee meeting. Puri Collector Balwant Singh, Puri additional superintendent of police (ASP) Pratap Swain, NHAI project director S Nag and other senior officials of the district administration were present at the meeting.
The meeting put emphasis on measures to check accidents on the NHs in Puri district. The NHAI officials informed the meeting that they have identified at least five accident-prone spots on the national highways from Bhubaneswar to Konark.
As per a decision taken at the meeting, the authorities concerned will give special focus on the five black spots on the NHs. Besides, the authorities will remove all illegal structures including shops and sheds along the NHs from Bhubaneswar to Konark.
Moreover, the NHAI will repair any damage to the NHs at the earliest and put up signage to create awareness on road safety.
The meeting also expressed concern over the movement of stray cattle on the NHs and asked the civic authorities to look into the issue. Similarly, the NHAI officials were asked to repair damaged portions of medians on Bhubaneswar-Puri and Puri-Konark NHs.
This apart, the district collector asked the NHAI authorities to take steps to avoid rush at Pipli toll plaza on Bhubaneswar-Puri NH. The administration has also asked the owners of all filling stations along the NHs to install CCTVs and display boards on road safety measures on their premises. Besides, they were asked not to sell fuel to bikers travelling without helmets.
The meeting also asked the officials of the Transport department to take necessary steps to discourage drunken driving and use of mobile phones while travelling.
Puri regional transport officer (RTO) informed the meeting that they will soon prepare a list of vehicles engaged in ferrying schoolchildren in the district. The administration will soon launch a programme to create road safety awareness among the school bus drivers.
