Chochon Haokip, Guwahati
Corresponding to the growth in economy, the number of vehicles in Manipur is increasing by the day and hence road safety is becoming a matter of grave concern. Road accident of any sort is now a regular happening somewhere or the other. The latest is the tragic accident in which some people including Thangminlal Mate, a young student leader got killed when the Winger in which he was traveling collided with a bus along Tiddim Road on Jan. 11th.
I hereby put forth few points:
First, Imphal-Ccpur road is one of the busiest State highways and thanks to the smooth surface, vehicles plying along the route are driven fast. Unfortunately, most road accidents are due to this fast driving. The question here is whether saving 10-15 minutes traveling time is more important or securing the safety of the passengers is. A speed of 60 km/hr should be kept the upper limit.
Second, to cope with the increasing number of vehicles, roads should be widened. Besides, along busy roads like Imphal-Ccpur and Imphal-Moreh among others, road divider should be made to avoid collision.
Third, it is not uncommon to see many drivers lacking traffic rules. Awareness campaign should be made to make the drivers more traffic sensitive. Issuing of driving licenses without verifying the applicants should be done away with.
Fourth, to make laws more effective, rash and negligent drivers should be punished severely.
Finally, to face unforeseen events, insurance coverage should be made mandatory for all vehicles. In case of any mishap, insurance companies will take care of the losses incurred. Uninsured and unregistered vehicles should not be kept at the mercy of cops whose thirst could not be quenched.
These are few points if fully implemented will solve or at least drastically reduce the menace of road accidents. If these things are not in the minds of the authorities concerned, student bodies and responsible organizations should wake the authorities up.
* The above letter is being sent by Chipinthei Mailangkoh. Contact info chipinthei{at}gmail{dot}com
