Residents demand road safety measures on risky road stretch in Kothagudem

A 3-km stretch of the Vijayawada–Jagdalpur NH through Kothagudem has become a major black spot, with 10–15 accidents reported monthly. Locals blame NHAI negligence, rash-driving coal tippers, and police inaction despite repeated protests and SP’s directives on road safety.

Kothagudem: A three kilometre road stretch on Vijayawada-Jagdalpur national highway passing through Kothagudem town has become a threat to the lives of commuters.

The locals are alleging negligence of National Highway Authorities of India authorities in taking road safety measures leading to frequent accidents on the road. The local police also failed to take steps to prevent accidents.

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Accidents are a common sight on the road from Rampuram to Singareni Coal Testing Lab; passing through Ambedkar Nagar, Rudrampur Pragathivanam, Dhanbad and the 4-Incline area under the limits of the two-town police station. It has become a major black spot on the NH.

Superintendent of Police B Rohith Raju during a recent meeting with police officials told them to identify the black spots where road accidents are occurring regularly under the limits of each police station and to take preventive measures. .

But due to the negligence of lower-level officials in identifying black spots, many motorists are losing their lives and others are getting injured. Every month nearly 10 to 15 accidents take place on this road due to lack of safety measures, complained a resident, Durga Rao of Ramavaram.

Three persons died and several injured in September. Speeding coal tippers carrying coal from the local mines to other places have also become a menace because of rash driving of the tipper drivers, he said.

The police have set up barricades at different locations on the road to control speeding vehicles. But for reasons unknown they are removed. The residents of Rudrampur and other areas recently staged a protest demanding officials to take steps to prevent accidents, but in vain, Durga Rao said.