Snag-hit vehicles make NH-44 a killer stretch, NHAI’s ‘slip-ups’ under lens
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Follow us With Ludhiana-Khanna National Highway witnessing several fatal accidents, primarily involving high-speed vehicles and stationary ones that had probably broken down on the road, the monitoring mechanism of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has come under serious scrutiny as it is Ludhiana: With Ludhiana-Khanna National Highway witnessing several fatal accidents, primarily involving high-speed vehicles and stationary ones that had probably broken down on the road, the monitoring mechanism of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has come under serious scrutiny as it is responsible for take snag-hit vehicles off the roads.A member of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), the apex body for road safety in India, said the “callous attitude” of NHAI in shifting such vehicles on the highway had led to around 100 accidents and 25 deaths in the past three years. On May 11, a person identified as Jagdish of Jagraon died whereas his wife and granddaughter suffered injuries after the motorcycle they were riding collided into a stationary canter, which had already met with accident, on GT Road near Khanna. On May 24, Narain of Nepal, who lived in Khanna, died whereas his friend Vikram suffered serious injuries after their motorcycle rammed a stationary trolley near Bija on GT Road.Khanna SSP Ravi Kumar said in such accidents, drivers of the stationary vehicles are booked. He said they do shift stationary vehicles off the roads, but said it is NHAI which is supposed to carry out the job. Kamaljit Soi, an international road safety expert and a member of NRSC, said about 100 accidents have happened on Ludhiana-Delhi highway because of the presence of stationary vehicles on the road. Citing two examples, he said eight persons had died in accidents related to stationary vehicles on the highway, one in Sahnewal area and other near Gurudwara Manji Sahib between Doraha and Khanna. “I had drafted the rules wherein for toll road, maintenance has been to be taken care of by NHAI. For every 50 kms, there should be a recovery van, a hydraulic cutter (for rescuing person stuck in vehicle after accidents) and there should be 24X7 highway patrolling. So, a patrolling team can travel 50-km distance more than 24 times a day and they can spot such vehicle on the road,” the expert said.He said if the broken-down vehicles are not taken off the road, it is callousness on part of the agency.The NHAI authorities said that they have necessary facilities on the national highway. NHAI project director Varinder Kumar said for Panipat-Jalandhar section of NH-44, they have route patrolling vehicles (six, two per toll plaza), four cranes (one each per toll plaza and one extra for emergent situation) available.On highway patrolling, he said round-the-clock patrolling of the highway is carried out by six route patrolling teams.Asked why accidents are still happening involving snag-hit vehicles, the NHAI official said, “Will have to examine the scenario in detail.”Meanwhile, a Khanna-based social activist has raised question marks about the claims of NHAI. “I frequently use this road and the highway patrolling teams of NHAI are hardly visible on the stretch. Also, if the broken-down vehicles are shifted on time, why would accident happen on the highway,” Harsh Kumar Bhalla, a social activist from Khanna, said.
About the Author
Shariq Majeed
Shariq Majeed is a special correspondent with The Times of India’s Ludhiana bureau. He covers health, courts, district administration, crime, environment and politics. He enjoys listening to music, reading, watching cricket and driving.Read More
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Ludhiana: With Ludhiana-Khanna National Highway witnessing several fatal accidents, primarily involving high-speed vehicles and stationary ones that had probably broken down on the road, the monitoring mechanism of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has come under serious scrutiny as it is responsible for take snag-hit vehicles off the roads.
A member of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), the apex body for road safety in India, said the “callous attitude” of NHAI in shifting such vehicles on the highway had led to around 100 accidents and 25 deaths in the past three years. 
On May 11, a person identified as Jagdish of Jagraon died whereas his wife and granddaughter suffered injuries after the motorcycle they were riding collided into a stationary canter, which had already met with accident, on GT Road near Khanna. On May 24, Narain of Nepal, who lived in Khanna, died whereas his friend Vikram suffered serious injuries after their motorcycle rammed a stationary trolley near Bija on GT Road.Khanna SSP Ravi Kumar said in such accidents, drivers of the stationary vehicles are booked. He said they do shift stationary vehicles off the roads, but said it is NHAI which is supposed to carry out the job. Kamaljit Soi, an international road safety expert and a member of NRSC, said about 100 accidents have happened on Ludhiana-Delhi highway because of the presence of stationary vehicles on the road. Citing two examples, he said eight persons had died in accidents related to stationary vehicles on the highway, one in Sahnewal area and other near Gurudwara Manji Sahib between Doraha and Khanna. “I had drafted the rules wherein for toll road, maintenance has been to be taken care of by NHAI. For every 50 kms, there should be a recovery van, a hydraulic cutter (for rescuing person stuck in vehicle after accidents) and there should be 24X7 highway patrolling. So, a patrolling team can travel 50-km distance more than 24 times a day and they can spot such vehicle on the road,” the expert said.He said if the broken-down vehicles are not taken off the road, it is callousness on part of the agency.The NHAI authorities said that they have necessary facilities on the national highway. NHAI project director Varinder Kumar said for Panipat-Jalandhar section of NH-44, they have route patrolling vehicles (six, two per toll plaza), four cranes (one each per toll plaza and one extra for emergent situation) available.On highway patrolling, he said round-the-clock patrolling of the highway is carried out by six route patrolling teams.Asked why accidents are still happening involving snag-hit vehicles, the NHAI official said, “Will have to examine the scenario in detail.”Meanwhile, a Khanna-based social activist has raised question marks about the claims of NHAI. “I frequently use this road and the highway patrolling teams of NHAI are hardly visible on the stretch. Also, if the broken-down vehicles are shifted on time, why would accident happen on the highway,” Harsh Kumar Bhalla, a social activist from Khanna, said. 
