Addressing the valedictory programme of 21st road safety week on Tuesday, he said that while engineering (formation of road) lies in the hands of departments like PWD and NHAI, enforcement and education is taken care by the police and the RTO but there is lack of co-ordination between these departments, due to which accidents are on the rise.
“Unscientific formation of roads are responsible for road mishaps but very often engineering department is not made accountable for the same. Roads must be laid as per norms in a scientific manner to control accidents,” he said and added that there is enormous blame game between these departments, which should come to an end. All the departments must come together and work in harmony with each other to control mishaps, he said.
Citing an example of Hassan to elaborate on how good engineering can reduce accidents, he said that an outer ring road was laid in Hassan after which death due to road accident came down to just one as against 50 before the laying of the ring road.
He said that political vision, perspective plan and prompt execution are also needed to control road accidents.
He said that during the road safety week, they had received many suggestions of, which over 50 per cent of reforms suggested by public pertain to engineering departments.
However assuring to bring the suggestions to the notice of the departments concerned, he said that suggestions like increasing parking slots, providing walk over bridge etc have already been discussed with the Municipal Commissioner.
He said that planning of developmental works are necessary considering the fact that as many as 800 new four-wheelers are being added every month in the district itself.
Earlier, addressing the gathering Nitte University Vice-Chancellor Dr Shantharam Shetty said that in Dakshina Kannada district at least one person dies in road accident everyday and about 30 people get injured due to the same.
He said that while this district has been christened as ‘land of intellectuals’ it is unfortunate that the accident rates are also high due to negligence of the people who do not bother about others and the rules.
Canara Bus Operators’ Association President Rajaverma Ballal, RTO J Purushotham, DySP B J Bhandary and others were present.