Gurugram roads still a death trap for commuters
GURUGRAM: The death of two MNC executives at Golf Course once again brought to fore the dangers to commuters in Gurugram. Despite the central and the state governments pouring in crores of rupees to revamp these roads, the issues that endanger lives of citizens remain unresolved.
Among these problems are the various dark stretches. Despite large budgetary allocations to light up the streets of Gurugram, most of busy routes in the Millennium city are poorly lit. The Mall Mile stretch of MG road, which witnesses, heavy flow of traffic, is one such area. Though the administration built eleven underpasses in a swift manner, the efforts to light these areas are painfully slow.
The wide stretches of MG Road, as well as Golf Course Road, often tempt commuters into speeding their vehicles when traffic is minimal. This is a serious risk as parts of these roads are broken and have uneven bumps. Furthermore, the condition of these roads deteriorate during monsoon. The wide stretches of Golf Course Road often tempt commuters into speeding their vehicles when traffic is minimal
Meanwhile, unmarked barricades and overspeeding was among the causes that claimed the lives of the two MNC executives. There have been numerous complaints about unmarked barriers, which pose a major risk to commuters, especially those on two-wheelers.
Moreover, flaws in road engineering and designing has resulted in many uneven turns and illegal cuts on Gurugram’s roads. The Old Gurugram road and Delhi-jaipur Highway suffer heavily due to such faults.
Another factor that causes accidents is movement of stray animals on the main roads. As the agencies struggle to create a mechanism for preventing movement of stray animals on city roads, such as cattle, dogs and cats are regularly seen straying on to the Golf Course Road and Gurugram-faridabad Road, among others.
There is also the dearth of pedestrian spaces, such as footpaths and foot over bridges, which puts at risk the lives of thousands of pedestrians daily.
Errant drivers, many of whom are found intoxicated behind the wheel or driving in excess of the speed limit, is another major challenge to ensuring safety on Gurugram’s roads. In one case, more than 100 fines were levied by Gurugram Traffic Police officials against drunken drivers, on a single day.