Bhubaneswar: In the wake of tragic bus mishap at Kalinga Ghat in Ganjam district, Principal Secretary Commerce and Transport, Bishnupada Sethi has asked National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Department of Works to conduct a safety survey of all Ghat roads in the State.
In the recent past many fatal road accidents have occurred in the Ghat/ Hilly areas of the State.
Hilly/Ghat roads are generally vulnerable because a single accident results in multiple fatalities. In the late night on May 24, 2022, a tragic bus accident occurred on the Kalinga Ghat in the district of Ganjam, in which six people died on the spot and many people sustained grievous injury and still struggling for life in hospitals.
Few days back, another accident had occurred in the Dwarsuni Ghat, Mayurbhanj District. The accident spot was jointly inspected by the RTO, Bhanjanagr and the expert team.
As reported by the RTO, the driver was driving the vehicle at high speed and could not negotiate at the curve in the Ghat area and met with the accident and skidded over hazardous materials like stone, electric poles etc. which were laying on the side of road, Mr.Sethi said in his letter.
The RTO also reported that chevron signages, road markings, stud reflectors were not found on the spot. At many locations, crash barriers are also damaged, he said.
“In view of the vulnerability, Hilly/ Ghat roads are required to be maintained properly. The Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, therefore, has directed to take all possible safety measures like putting crash barriers etc. in the hilly area,” the Principal Secretary pointed out in his letter.
In this context, he asked the National Highways Authority of India and Department of Works to instruct their field level officials to conduct a survey of the entire Ghat/ Hilly area under your jurisdiction, find out the gaps and take all safety measures to save human lives in future.
He sought a report in this regard within one month for the kind perusal of the Chief Secretary.
Notably, six tourists from West Bengal killed and over 40 injured when the bus in which they were travelling met with an accident on Kalinga Ghat in Ganjam district on 24 May Midnight.
The bus was heading towards Visakhapatnam after the tourists from Udaynarayanpur area in Howrah district of West Bengal visited Daringbadi in Kandhamal district. Over 70 persons were on-board in the bus.