Accidents on Goan roads

In quick succession there has been mayhem on roads with loss of precious life. The caution and concern will be short lived as usual. The causes are many but action by authorities fall short of expectations.

The vehicle population has increased exponentially, but increase in the  width of roads has not changed in proportion. The potholes, badly maintained and poor quality of roads is no one s responsibility. The absence  of  frequency of reliable public transport would have obviated the need for multiplication of private vehicles. Two-wheeler sales are zooming, but parents are putting vehicles in the hands of minors even to go to schools. Youngsters are brash and a law unto themselves. Possession of car is now a status symbol with easy bank finances at door steps. Rash negligent driving, overtaking, drunken driving  are  not easy to monitor or penalise. Breadth analyzers, vehicles to check speed, lane crossing are found wanting. It is sad that road signals are  a rarity and police manning them could be released for more purposeful work. 

The traffic police are not authorised to book violators. Politicians interfere with the police to curry favours on behalf of friends and traffic violators. On the  issue of driving licences, fitness test of vehicles for registration, the less said is better. Police check vigorously, piously helmet wearing and vehicles with outside registration is obvious. The police should use stop, proceed sign boards instead of illusive hand signals confusing at times. The positioning and maintaining of cameras could keep an eagle eye on the traffic violators more effectively and without arguments. The yearly vehicle fitness certificate would take care of mechanical failures. 

Too many openings of crossing of road dividers is adding to the nuisance and unplanned, unmarked speed breakers are another hazard. MAD advisories on blind road bends are gathering dust. The insurance for road accidents should be heavily increased and drivers involved suspended and finally driving licence cancelled permanently. An all India registry of such drivers should be put in place  so that they do not jump the  gun by migration. A fetish is being  promoted by banning bars within 500 meters of highways  as the major culprit of road accidents and Government bending backwards to pamper the liquor lobby. Police are more concerned with uniforms of conductors and never booking overloading of bus passengers. 

Accidents involving passenger transport should be dealt mercilessly. With ever increasing two-wheelers, separate lanes in Goa could be effective. Heavy traffic should be banned during peak and rush  hours. The  ornamental plants  inside road dividers should not block normal visions and all sign boards hoardings within 40 meters, speed breakers be removed swiftly as per law and SC directions. PWD should continuously monitor and repair immediate damage and that is also caused by road digging and dumping of construction material haphazardly. Any unauthorized structures including religious one and other encumbrances on roads need no sympathy and warning but swift actions to demolish and fine such violators.