Nagpur: The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court expressed its dissatisfaction with the Traffic Police Department on Wednesday, citing their failure to curb the prevalent issue of wrong side driving in Nagpur. The High Court summoned the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Traffic to appear in the next hearing scheduled for February 14. The court’s displeasure was conveyed through verbal remarks during the proceedings.
The court criticized the Traffic Police, stating, “Police are mute spectators when vehicles are driven on the wrong side of the road. No one in the city cares about the rules of the Motor Vehicle Act. The police are only interested in issuing a challan and collecting fines.”
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Friday 31 Jan. 2025
The scrutiny of the traffic situation in Nagpur arose from a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in response to the escalating number of road accidents in the city. Advocate Sandeep Badana, the petitioner, highlighted safety concerns on Dabha Ring Road, Jagdish Nagar, and Gorewada Ring Road. Additionally, roads in Hazaripahad, Gorewada, and Dabha areas were mentioned in the PIL.
While the administration claimed to have implemented safety measures such as rumblers in the specified areas, Badana argued that these measures were not in accordance with the rules. The court took note of the issue of wrong side driving on these roads and directed the Municipal Corporation and Public Works Department to submit their responses by February 14.
The court’s intervention underscores the urgency of addressing the alarming prevalence of wrong side driving and emphasizes the need for comprehensive safety measures to curb road accidents in the city. The upcoming hearing on February 14 is anticipated to shed light on the proposed actions and strategies to rectify the traffic concerns raised in the PIL.
The High Court expressed concerns about the effectiveness of rumble strips installed at eight locations on Dhaba, Gorewada Ring Road. Despite the installation of these strips, the speed of both two-wheelers and four-wheelers has not diminished. Despite their installation at multiple points along the Ring Road, two-wheelers and four-wheelers continue to operate at high speeds.
On Wednesday, the division bench of Justice Nitin Sambre and Justice Abhay Mantri looked into the measures taken by NMC, PWD, and the DCP Traffic to prevent fatal accidents. The responsibility for the construction and maintenance of the Ring Road lies with the World Bank and PWD, and the High Court has included NIT, World Bank, and PWD as defendants in the case as the road comes under the limits of NIT.
Through two RTIs, the petitioner discovered that 247 accidents occurred on the Gittikhadan area of this ring road over the past four years which resulted in 42 fatalities and 67 serious injuries. The petitioner also stressed on the presence of 374 residential building schemes and three major schools in the area and asked for preventive measures.
Advocate Sudhir Puranik represented NMC while Adv Deepak Thakre presented arguments for the State.
