Post News Network
Rayagada, Jan 15: A Road Safety Week that was launched across the country to drive home the importance of safe driving manners seems to have derailed in Rayagada district, with motorists brazenly coming up with their own set of traffic rules.
Motorcyclists can be seen riding their bikes with three pillion riders perched precariously, in the process turning a blind eye to large banners imploring adherence to traffic rules.
What is even more disturbing is the laxity displayed by officials in curbing such instances of dangerous road manners. Road transport authorities do little apart from launching programmes and awareness drives, and as a result motorists literally get away with murder in the absence of stringent enforcement of traffic rules.
It is common to see vehicles being overloaded much beyond capacity – a bike carrying four people (as seen in the picture) is a regular sight, and buses often cram as many people as possible. Such overloading leads to drivers often losing control over their vehicles on twisting ghat roads, resulting in the deaths of passengers and other motorists. However, little is done by officials towards addressing this problem. Locals said if awareness drives are properly executed, passengers would think twice before boarding an overloaded bus or auto-rickshaw, but sadly this is not the case.
Ghat roads connect Rayagada to other towns like Koraput, Paralakhemundi, Gunupur and Bhawanipatna, and motorists have to be vigilant while driving along these roads. However, inexperienced bikers and inebriated motorists often meet with accidents on these routes, locals said.
Besides, drivers of passenger and goods vehicles drive in a reckless manner and flout almost all the rules in the book, thus putting their own lives as well as those of other motorists at risk.
According to law, road users who over-speed, use mobile phones while driving, and driving under medication should be given two hours of intensive training on road safety besides collecting penalty. However, officials let them go after making them pay the penalty, sources said.
Safety awareness drives have become a bit of a joke here, locals said.
Dilip Kumar Dalei, an officer in the district transport office, admitted that accidents are on the rise. He, however, said the officials are frequently checking vehicles and collecting fines from errant drivers.
