NT Reporter
Panaji
Twenty major vehicular accidents were reported along the Agassaim to Bambolim stretch of the National Highway-66, claiming the lives of 16 persons and leaving 13 seriously injured in the last two and a half years. Out of the 16 dead, 3 were pedestrians. The 10 km road stretch has 4 black spots, and police on several occasions have written to the authorities concerned regarding necessary infrastructure and safety improvements that include metal railings at a certain location to prevent jaywalking.
As per the data, 5 accidents involved pedestrians. Two were killed in separate accidents near the Holy Cross Shrine (Fulancho Khuris), Bambolim, while in another accident at the spot, a pedestrian was seriously injured. In an accident near the GMC, Bambolim, a pedestrian was killed, while in another accident reported along the Goa Velha bypass, one pedestrian was seriously injured.
Following the two fatal accidents near the Holy Cross Shrine, Bambolim, Goa traffic police had written to the Chief Engineer, National Highways and Roads, requesting to install metal railings along the median near it. Police said that there is heavy and continuous movement of vehicular traffic along the NH-66 from Panaji to Margao and the Holy Cross Shrine, located in close proximity to the NH-66, where maximum pedestrians are seen crossing the road. Police said in the absence of any restrictions, pedestrians are jaywalking at this location.
A senior police officer said that after analysing the accident data for the 2022 to 2024 period, the traffic police had identified 4 black spots along the stretch from Bambolim to Agassaim. These include Agassaim bypass road to Goa Velha bypass road; Siridao flyover to Inter State Police Wireless Station (ISPW), Bambolim; Holy Cross Shrine, Bambolim to CBI office; and Military, Bambolim to GMC, Bambolim. Police said that from 2024, the traffic police have submitted around 14 request letters to the PWD in connection with the accidents. Request to install speed radar cameras and go slow signboards, erection of rumble strips and necessary signboards cautioning the commuters about the rumble strips. Apart from that, the police had also written to the local bodies requesting to take action against roadside vendors and impound stray cattle moving on the roads.
Referring to the other measures to reduce road accidents, the police said that regular patrolling, special drives, nakabandi checks, MV violation fines, etc. are regularly conducted in the Agassaim police station jurisdiction to prevent overspeeding, drunken driving and rash driving.
