Dhar, April 30
A police investigation into the fatal road accident in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district has pointed to serious violations of safety norms prescribed for National Highways, including absence of mandatory signage, improper median design, lack of reflective road markings and unsafe divider structures. Overspeeding, coupled with these deficiencies, has emerged as a major factor behind the crash that claimed 16 lives.
Indore Rural Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Manoj Kumar Singh, who conducted an on-site inspection near Chikliya crossing on the Indore-Ahmedabad National Highway, said on Thursday that preliminary findings indicate that the accident was not only due to excessive speed but also due to serious lapses in adherence to standard road safety protocols.
"Prima facie, over-speeding appears to be the main cause. However, our inspection revealed that several essential safety measures, which are part of standard highway norms, are missing at the site," Singh said briefing the Press on Thursday.
He explained that there were no advance warning signboards to alert drivers about the turn or crossing ahead, nor any stop or caution signals to regulate vehicle speed.
"On such highways, proper signage and speed-calming measures are mandatory, but they are absent here," he noted.
The DIG also pointed out that the median cuts at the location were not scientifically designed.
"The divider openings are wide and unregulated, allowing vehicles to cross abruptly without proper visibility or control, which significantly increases the risk of head-on collisions," he said.
He further highlighted flaws in the physical condition of the road infrastructure. "The dividers are not properly maintained and lack reflective indicators. There are no clear lane markings or cat-eye reflectors to guide drivers, especially at night. These are basic safety features expected on National Highways," Singh added.
According to him, all these shortcomings have been documented and will be formally communicated to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for necessary action.
"We will write to NHAI highlighting these issues so that corrective steps can be taken," he said.
Singh also confirmed that a team from NHAI has carried out an inspection of the accident site following the incident and held discussions with local officials.
The accident occurred on Wednesday night when a pickup van carrying around 46 labourers overturned and collided with a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) coming from the opposite direction. The impact led to multiple casualties and injuries.
Police said the death toll has risen to 16 after three more injured persons succumbed during treatment on Thursday, while several others remain hospitalised.
The DIG said further investigation is underway to examine all aspects, including vehicle condition and possible overloading, but stressed that addressing infrastructure gaps is crucial to prevent such incidents.
"The findings clearly indicate that apart from overspeeding, lack of proper road safety infrastructure and deviation from standard norms contributed to the accident. We are taking up the matter with the concerned authorities," Singh said.
- IANS
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