Published on November 19, 2023
AHMEDABAD: In July, rash driving by Tathya Patel claimed nine lives and injured 13 others on Iskcon Flyover, serving as a grim reminder of how one road traffic accident (RTA) can shatter multiple families in a matter of minutes. On World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims observed on third Sunday of every November, data by EMRI 108 emergency services indicated that the road stretch between Sarkhej and Thaltej has remained a highly accident-prone area.
The data of EMRI 108 till October 30 this year indicated that Ahmedabad recorded 21,913 calls related to RTA, averaging 73 calls daily and three calls every hour. The top 25 locations, primarily in western city areas, accounted for 14,305 or 65% of the total calls. Out of top 10 locations, five were on or near SG Road, indicated data.
The data of 2018 indicated that Bodakdev was the top location with 534 calls from January to October, followed by Gota (513), Chandkheda (449), Navrangpura (448), and Prahladnagar (446). The pattern has not changed much in 2023 with Sola (437) as top spot, followed by Bodakdev (430), Navrangpura (378), Bopal (376) and IIM crossroads (356).
A senior EMRI official said RTA calls have increased by 34% in five years from 16,342 in 2018 in the city. “Number of accidents are also reflective of rise in population of the city and increase number of ambulances responding to emergencies in two kilometre radius of the assigned location. The data indicates potential accident hotspots,” said the official.
‘9 deaths a day in Gujarat due to disused helmets and seatbelts’
Dr Pravin Kanabar, president of the Ahmedabad Traffic Consultative Committee (ATCC), said identifying major hotspots is the first step towards preventing fatal road accidents. “Once the hotspots are identified, the ‘Three Es’ namely engineering, enforcement and education should be implemented stringently to prevent loss of precious lives,” he said.
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data from 2012 to 2021 indicates that the number of fatal accidents in Ahmedabad has increased gradually from 330 to 403 over the decade. In 2021 – the last year of publication of data – 1,063 persons had suffered injuries. Recent reports by the Union road transport ministry stated that Gujarat lost nine lives every day because of seatbelts not being used or helmets not being worn.
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