Mancherial: Flaw in U turn design on NH-363 blamed for road accidents

This design flaw is said to be a recurring factor in road accidents along this stretch.

Mancherial: Officials of National Highways Authority of India are drawing flak for failing to correct an alleged flaw in the design of a U turn on the National Highway 363 at Tirumala fuel station in Kannala village of Bellampalli mandal. The flaw in the designing of the turn is reportedly contributing to road mishaps on the stretch at regular intervals.

“The design of the U turn is flawed when compared to the other U turns situated on the same network. A gap in the median of the road should not intersect with the road for local habitations. A gap in the median should be for at least 800 meters on a stretch as per norms of union ministry of Road Transportation and Highways (MoRTH),” Neelam Sampath, a road safety activist from Kaghaznagar, said.

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He pointed out that the gap should not be created when there was a slope on a road. Other U turns in Thandur mandal centre and Bellampalli have lamps signaling motorists about the intersection on the road. The turns have sign boards and relevant marking cautioning about the intersections. But, the U turn at Tirumala fuel station has no such lamps or sign boards.

Similarly, commercial establishments are situated within 100 metres of the national highway, flouting the norms of road safety. A fuel station and function hall can be found within 100 metres of the national highway at the U turn. Customers of the fuel and attendees of the social functions are suddenly entering the road at the turn causing accidents.

Incidentally, seven persons were killed at the U turn from January 2023 to February of 2024. In the latest instance, Kota Thirupati (38) and his wife Thirupathamma (33) from Venkatapur village in Kannepalli mandal died on the spot, while their seven-year-old son Anji succumbed to injuries later after a lorry hit the motorbike on which they were travelling at the U turn on the national highway on February 9.

When asked, NHAI Project Director KN Ajay Manikumar said the steps would be taken to correct the design of the U turn and to prevent road mishaps at the spot.