Daijiworld Media Network – Hassan (SP)
Hassan, Apr 10: The ordeal of vehicles using Shiradi Ghat stretch of national highway 48 (new No 75) is unending. As the work of shifting LPG from the second tanker that toppled within two days on this road continued on Tuesday, the saga of repeated miseries faced by the road users continued for another day. The Ghat section of the highway, which remains closed for the third consecutive day, is likely to be opened for traffic during late afternoon on Wednesday April 9, police sources said.
Recent gas tanker accident at Sakleshpur
Transport and other vehicles continue to line up on both sides of the accident site, with cleaners and drivers unable to move out, as they are required to safeguard their stocks and vehicles. They are forced to sleep by the roadside, and consume food by paying exorbitant prices to smalltime vendors. Passenger vehicles are being redirected on Charmadi and Hettur-Subrahmanya route.
About 200 tankers which move on this stretch daily create headache for other vehicles. Inexperienced drivers, diesel-saving methods like keeping the engine off in slopes, absence of relief driver and cleaner, violation of direction not to drive on Ghat roads at night etc have been causing the accidents. It may be recalled that exactly a year back, a LPG tanker accident at Perne in Dakshina Kannada district had claimed 11 lives, besides taking away livelihood, houses, future, and other assets belonging to these villagers, many of whom have shifted bases elsewhere since then. Absence of protective walls, poorly maintained roads, and deep gorges lining this stretch, have all been contributing factors for repeated accidents.
As repeated requests to both Hindustan Petroleum and Indian Oil Companies to set up emergency disaster management cell at this stretch have been overlooked by these companies, the Hassan police have registered a criminal case against the heads of both these companies. This was confirmed by superintendent of police, Ravi D Channannavar. Sakleshpur police sub-inspector, Bharat, informed that letters written to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to erect protective walls and display warning signs on this road have failed to get any response.
It is learnt that police departments of both Hassan and Dakshina Kannada districts as well as district administrations are planning to organize a meeting with the participation of top officials of both the above companies and also NHAI towards finding a lasting solution to the problem.