Cuttack: Worried over frequent accidents on National Highway-16 that passes through major cities like Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, the Transport department has planned to introduce a few measures to curb speed driving on the highway.
According to sources, the Transport department has planned to install speed detection cameras on the NH to keep tabs on speeding vehicles.
“Speed detection cameras would be installed on the stretch from Chandikhol to Khurda on the NH. We have identified 25 accident-prone spots or black spots where the speed cameras will be installed,” said Transport Commissioner Sanjeev Panda.
According to Panda, the regional transport offices (RTOs) would decide the speed limit for vehicles plying on the NH under their respective jurisdictions. “Vehicles travelling at high speed on the NH would face stern action. Speed driving was found to be the major cause behind mishaps on the NH-16,” Panda said.
The Transport Commissioner claimed that speed detection cameras would work round-the-clock and help officials notice the numbers of vehicles travelling beyond the prescribed speed limit. “A special control room would be set up to monitor the cameras,” Panda said.
That apart, the Transport department has decided to bring certain changes to the issuance process for driving licence. “Faulty driving has also been identified as a cause for accidents on the NH. We would introduce stricter procedures for issuance of driving licences. Henceforth, we would ask 20 questions on road safety rules and driving issues to the applicants,” said an official of the Transport department.
It is worth mentioning here that speed driving has been identified as a cause for the recent Mahanadi bus mishap. A dozen passengers died and 40 others sustained injuries when a Bhubaneswar-bound luxury bus fell off Mahanadi bridge in the Silver City November 20, 2018.