Mohabbewala accident
By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 5 Nov: Following the death of four people in a horrific road accident at Mohabbewala under the Patel Nagar police station area, the police have registered a case against officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Public Works Department (PWD), holding alleged deficiencies in road safety arrangements responsible for the accident. The police have cited several potential safety lapses, including potholes along the roadside, inadequate traffic signage and the absence of warning boards. A case has been registered against officials of both departments under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and an investigation has been initiated.
According to the police, the accident occurred yesterday on the Asharodi-ISBT stretch near Mohabbewala, when a car bearing was crushed by a trailer that overturned after crashing into a divider. Four people lost their lives in the accident. Three of the deceased belonged to the same family and were travelling in the car, while a six-year-old child was rescued safely.
According to the Police, the alleged deficiencies in road safety arrangements have emerged as a major focus of the investigation. According to the FIR, adequate traffic signs, reflectors and warning boards had not been installed along the newly constructed National Highway-72A. There were also no warning signs near potholes along the roadside. The absence of adequate lighting at night, coupled with a sudden curve and gradient near Mohabbewala, reportedly poses additional risks to motorists. The complaint alleges that the NHAI and PWD, which are responsible for the operation and maintenance of the road, failed to take the necessary corrective measures despite these potential hazards.
The FIR also mentions that the departments concerned had previously been informed about the recurring accidents on this stretch and deficiencies in traffic safety arrangements. However, the alleged shortcomings remained unaddressed. The police reached the spot following the accident and undertook rescue and relief operations, but officials of neither department reportedly arrived at the accident site despite being informed. SP City Shekhar Suyal said that, on the complaint of ISBT Chowki in-charge Jaiveer Singh, a case had been registered against officials of the NHAI and PWD at Patel Nagar police station under Sections 106(1), 125(a), 125(b) and 281 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Sub-Inspector Mukesh Thaledi has been assigned the investigation. The police will examine the condition of the road, the availability of safety arrangements and the circumstances leading to the accident. They will also ascertain what action the departments had taken on earlier complaints and why the alleged safety deficiencies were not addressed in time.
The latest action has once again brought the safety of the Asharodi-ISBT road stretch under scrutiny. However, the investigation must go beyond identifying the absence of warning signs and other basic safety arrangements. An important question that needs to be examined is whether any inherent defects in road designing or alignment, particularly the sudden curve, gradient and other features near Mohabbewala, have contributed to the recurring accidents. Have proper road safety audits and technical assessments been conducted to identify potentially dangerous stretches? If such defects exist, why have they not been rectified despite repeated accidents and complaints?
While these questions are pertinent, it should be reminded here at present, no experts study has been conducted in this regard that might have established that defects in road alignment or road design or lack of adequate warning and safety measures alone are responsible for the recurring accidents.
What about effective policing? The role of the police in preventing such accidents also needs closer scrutiny. While the NHAI and PWD are responsible for road infrastructure and engineering-related safety measures, effective traffic regulation, enforcement of speed limits, action against dangerous driving and regular monitoring of accident-prone stretches fall substantially within the policing framework. What steps has the Dehradun traffic police taken to identify and monitor vulnerable locations, particularly on highways and major approach roads witnessing recurring accidents? Are adequate personnel deployed at these locations, and is there any mechanism for systematic surveillance, speed enforcement and identification of traffic violations? The responsibility of the police cannot be confined to reaching accident sites, conducting investigations and registering cases after fatalities have occurred. Preventive traffic management and enforcement are equally important. The effectiveness of policing at Mohabbewala and other identified accident-prone locations should, therefore, also form part of the wider review.
It may be pointed here that District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan had earlier constituted a committee to monitor traffic movement and safety on this particular stretch in view of the recurring accidents. However, it is still not clear what the committee has been doing since its constitution, how frequently it has reviewed the situation, whether it has submitted any reports and what corrective measures, if any, have been recommended or implemented. If the committee was constituted specifically to prevent accidents and improve traffic management, its functioning and accountability also need to be examined.
The recurring accidents raise serious questions about whether the problem is confined to inadequate road infrastructure or whether the absence of effective traffic monitoring, enforcement and coordination among the concerned agencies is equally responsible. Speeding, reckless driving and violations of traffic regulations may certainly contribute to accidents, but these factors cannot be allowed to overshadow possible engineering and administrative failures. A comprehensive investigation should, therefore, examine the road’s design and alignment, the adequacy of safety infrastructure, traffic management arrangements and the actual performance of the monitoring committee.
