JLN Marg accidents pose a headache for traffic officials in Jaipur

JAIPUR: Even after efforts by the traffic police, the JLN Marg has become a hotspot of accidents, posing a headache for the officials, a senior traffic department official said.

From installing speed radar cameras to rumble strips and many initiatives, the results have not been satisfactory on this around eight kilometers long road, the official said.

In the last four months, three people have died while several have got injured. On the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, a major accident took place on JLN Marg in which the driver of a car, who was under the influence of alcohol, allegedly tried to run over the car on three cops who were doing checking near a barricading.

In May, a 21-year-old man, Sushil Meena, died when an overspeeding car hit his bike on JLN Marg. In August, a 17-year-old teenager was killed and another injured in yet another hit-andrun accident on the road after an over-speeding car rammed into a bike at Trimurti Circle.

Deputy commissioner of police, traffic, Rahul Prakash said that the traffic police is making various efforts to control accidents on JLN Marg. “In the last few months, the traffic police has been making efforts like awareness campaign, driver test, night patrolling, rumble strips, improvement of circles by JDA, speed cameras and strict actions under 185 Motor Vehicle act,” said Prakash. “But public has to support us hand-in-hand to reduce traffic incidents not only on JLN Marg but in the entire city. They have to follow traffic norms as well as create awareness among their family members too.”

A senior police official in traffic department said that traffic challans were home delivered to more than 2.20 lakh vehicle owners who were caught overspeeding on speed radar cameras on JLN Marg between March 2017 and July 2019. “But 75% vehicle owners didn’t pay the fine despite receiving the notices from the traffic department. The police the forwarded these cases to Lok Adalats,” the officer said.

Recently, in order to control overspeeding, the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) has decided to install rumble strips, a series of raised strips across a road or along its edge, which act as speed breakers.

Last month, the city traffic police ran a special drive against violations of traffic norms especially by teenagers, school vans and students. Action was taken against 265 vehicles drivers under Motor Vehicle (MV) Act. Even, DGP) Bhupendra Singh had issued orders last month directing inspector generals of all the ranges and district superintendents of police (SP) to run an intensive road safety campaign.