Tirupati: Safety concerns have emerged after Chandragiri area of Tirupati district has turned into a hotspot for road accidents. Since the beginning of this year, 25 people have lost their lives in accidents in the area, while numerous others have sustained injuries.
In particular, the national highway passing through the area, specifically the Puthalapattu-Naidupeta stretch, has become a notorious accident-prone zone. Motorists over-speed in this section. Night travel is perilous. Drowsy drivers are being cited as a primary reason for accidents.
A road mishap on Monday near M. Kongaravaripalli in Chandragiri mandal claimed four lives. It left two others critically injured.
However, accidents are not limited to highways. They have spread to the rural roads due to their serpentine nature. Locals point to a growing sense of unease navigating the winding roads, such as from Thondavada to Kottasanambatla, Nagalamma Circle to Nagalacheruvu, Itepalli-Kotal Road, RF Road to Nagayyagari Palem, and Chandragiri RF Road to Srinivasa Mangapuram.
Noticing the increasing trend of accidents, transport authorities have deployed signage, asking motorists to exercise utmost caution and strictly adhere to traffic regulations. “We are implementing awareness campaigns to promote responsible driving, deploying additional traffic personnel, and installing speed-detection cameras,” a road safety official stated.
Commuters are demanding stricter enforcement of traffic laws to curb the alarming tide of accidents plaguing the region. Authorities had earlier introduced a “Face Wash and Go” programme on national and state highways in the district from 1 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. They halted vehicles and instructed drowsy drivers to freshen up.
This initiative is not under implementation currently, though it had helped lower accident rates. “Reintroducing this measure could help check the increasing accidents,” said Rajendra Kumar, a motorist frequently passing through the area.
