manoj

IT HAS the distinction of being Navi Mumbai’s Marine Drive. However, set apart the beautiful drive it promises, the Palm Beach Road has also been an accident nightmare with as many as six deaths in the last two months.

The development agency City and Industrial Development Corporation of India (CIDCO) — under whose jurisdiction the road falls — decided to sponsor the gun after the high number of fatalities. It handed over a cheque of Rs 2.5 lakh to the police last week.

Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Ramrao Wagh told HT on Tuesday: “The speed gun will be a strong deterrent for the motorists. It is not uncommon for vehicles to travel at over 100 km per hour speed on this stretch. So far, we did not have adequate machinery to check this violation but now, it will change.” Added Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Kishore Jadhav: “We plan to start using the instrument from March 19, which also happens to be Gudi Padwa (the Maharashtrian new year).” The gun is among a slew of measures that CIDCO and the traffic police department plan to bring in to reduce mishaps on the 9 km-long road.

Jadhav said other measures would soon follow suit. “We have asked for CCTVs to be installed on the road and also more speed guns from the government under the Mega City Policing Plan.” He added: “It is under consideration and we are hopeful of getting it by June this year. We have also asked for huge signboards to be put up by CIDCO asking residents not to use the road for walking and jogging,” he added.

Meanwhile, CIDCO Chief PRO, Budhbhushan Gaikwad: “The fact that the road has survived all these years despite heavy traffic, without requirement of any major work needs to be appreciated. We had carried out small repair jobs to cover potholes caused in the monsoons.” However, neglect over the years had led to the road’s condition deteriorating. With the increasing number of accidents on the road, the condition of the road, too, had become a cause for concern. The issue, too, was highlighted by Navi Mumbai HT Lives. It had reported that no maintenance work had been carried out on the road, a fact later acknowledged by CIDCO Joint Managing Director Deepak Kapoor, who had assured that the problem would be rectified.

The top layer of the road had worn off, especially at turning junctions. After the HT lives report, CIDCO began work on re-laying the road for the first time since it was commissioned.


MAHARASHTRA HAS topped the chart of accidental deaths in the country, reveals a National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) study released last month.

Mumbai saw highest number of accidental deaths in 2005 at 9,468 among all metros followed by Delhi at 6,670 and Chennai 3,416.

Maharashtra had 17.9 per cent of the total accidental deaths in the country. The state recorded maximum number of traffic accidents leaving 15,395 people dead and 48,864 injured.

The next highest number of accidental deaths was recorded in Madhya Pradesh, while that of traffic accident deaths was recorded in Tamil Nadu.


Source: http://epaper.hindustantimes.com (Mumbai Edition)
Date Of Publish: 14-Mar-07

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