Team Herald
MARGAO: Waking up to the rising number of fatal accidents, the South Goa District Traffic Cell will launch a drive against drunken driving and over speeding, starting Tuesday.
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Deputy Superintendent (Traffic) Dharmesh Angle said, “The drive would be intensified at night-time, and violators would be booked immediately.”
“The number of deaths in road accidents is alarming. We are very serious about putting an end to reckless driving—FIRs will be filed against traffic violators and persons found to be driving under the influence of alcohol will be charged in the court,” DySP Angle said.
The DySP said, “Goa has recorded 133 fatal accidents, causing the deaths of 143 persons so far this year, as compared to 109 fatal accidents last year, in which 112 persons died.”
“This year, 31 more persons lost their lives in road accidents than last year. It is a worrisome figure,” DySP Angle told reporters.
The DySP pointed out that minors drive vehicles and end up causing accidents and suffering injuries.
“Such cases will be dealt with seriousness; the minors will be booked. Even parents who allow their minor children to drive vehicles will be prosecuted for negligence. Parents should not give their vehicles to minor children,” he said.
Even as new vehicles are added to the roads every month in Salcete, the authorities have not come up with a plan to deal with the burgeoning number, like expansion of roads and provision of adequate and planned parking zones. As a result, there is confusion and this leads to rise in accidents, says locals.
In Salcete alone, 18 persons were killed in accidents and many more were injured in 27 non-fatal mishaps, during the first five months of 2022. During the same period last year, police recorded 21 fatal accidents and 51 minor mishaps.
The volume of traffic that passes through Margao town during the peak hours is over 7,000 vehicles per hour. The widening and development of roads, and the addition of traffic islands is woefully inadequate when compared to the growth in the volume of traffic, say Margao residents.
“Congestion in the morning and chaos in the evening has become the norm in Margao. Finding parking is a nightmare, and it is very easy to damage one’s vehicle while jostling for space,” said a shop-owner from Margao.
