Shillong, Apr 17: Twenty-five people have died in road accidents over the past 100 days along a 60-kilometre stretch of the Umiam-Jorabat Expressway, which connects Guwahati and Shillong, according to official data.
Ri-Bhoi Superintendent of Police VS Rathore said on Wednesday that most of the accidents were caused by speeding, with nearly 50 per cent of the victims being from outside Meghalaya. Drunk driving was also cited as a significant factor behind several of the crashes.
The expressway, though known for its picturesque views, has turned into a zone of concern due to the rising number of fatal accidents. Authorities are calling for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations and enhanced road safety measures.
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This section of National Highways connecting Guwahati and Shillong is ine of the best maintained national highways in the region. I travel in this road almost 2-3 times every week. It is a joy to drive in this road. The number of road accidents increase with its driving comfort which tends to increase the speed of the vehicles. While driving in this road certain things have been observed and calls attention of the authorities to improve them.
1. There are few sections while driving up towards Umiam where combinations of sharp horizontal and steep vertical curves make it difficult to negotiate the curves specially for the heavily loaded trucks. They can hardly move up. In such sections, the impatient drivers rush to overtake the trucks from the left lane. In such situations, the truck is likely to topple towards left and crush the car on the left. This can be avoided either by increasing the turning radius or by extending the vertical curve towards the down slope to reduce the vertical slope. Modification of the turning radius shall involve lots of earth cutting and costly affair so extension of the vertical curves are suggested though the best would have been combination of the two.
2. Speed limits should be implemented by introduction of cameras at strategic points.
3. There must be proper indicators of U-Turns.
4. It is frequently seen that motor bikes, light vehicles are coming from the opposite side in wrong lane.
It is my personal general observation during driving. It is more important to study the nature of each case for a better solution to the problems. Thanks