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Chhattisgarh ranks high among states in deaths due to road accidents. However, traffic issues seem perennial in the state as chaos reigns on streets in the state capital and other cities. According to Ministry of Road Transport and National Highway, Chhattisgarh stands third in deaths on road with about 60 Percent above average of 32 Percent. Blind spots, lack of traffic awareness, drunk driving and inactive traffic police are reasons for the deadly figure of 4,000 and more deaths in last few years in Chhattisgarh. Fuming citizens feel it is high time that the traffic department took a call on rising incidents of road accidents and deaths caused due to irresponsible road traffic.

"Mindboggling number of vehicles, cars, autos and buses continue to swell in the city and contribute to road rage. Sometimes, I get so angry due to ignorance of other vehicles on road that I feel like hitting the person behind the wheel. Few stretches that were once considered safe like Shankar Nagar, Gaurav Path, Shailendra Nagar and Katora Talab have recently emerged as accident prone areas," Mamta Gupta, a resident, said.

Going by the data, Raipur has witnessed 2,500 accidents on an average with more than 500 deaths in last four years. Most fatal accidents occurred due to irresponsible and rash driving in the residential areas. Traffic experts say that along with unawareness and lack of interest in a safe drive, dearth of vision plays significant role in traffic jam and accidents.

"For instance, while one has to turn right from the signal, he would halt on the left most side of road which causes a jam once signal turns green, as the person would struggle hard to take right and other vehicles would march on," a traffic expert said adding that it is the responsibility of traffic officials to create awareness and take action on violators.

Peak hours cause accidents due to a mad rush of vehicles and non-peak hours cause fatal accidents as people daringly move at greater speed. However, lack of coordination of traffic department with civic authority, public works department and transport department is clearly understood when traffic officials clarify that several proposals over resolving traffic problems are pending with these departments.

Source-On Request