Road mishaps on the rise on Tirumala ghat roads

Tirupati: World famous Hindu hill shrine Tirumala, abode of Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy, is recently being featured in newspapers and TV channels almost once in a week due to increasing number of road mishaps.

Highlights:

• More than 58 minor and major accident cases have been registered in last six months. Average five to 10 mishaps registered in a month at the hill shrine
• TTD security wing fails to regulate speed of private vehicles on ghat road
• Rash driving and over taking by the cab and travel vehicles drivers increasing the number of accidents
• Lack of ghat road driving skill also a reason for rising accidents

Mainly, the two ghat roads which lead to the hill shrine have been turning into vulnerable zone for road accidents since few months. In recent times pilgrims coming to Tirumala shrine by own vehicles is rising day by day.

Due to heavy vehicular traffic, accident density has been increasing in the two hill ghat roads between Tirumala and Tirupati. A week back nine pilgrims of Vijayawada were injured in a road accident at Tirumala Darmagirulu near Srivaripadalu, due to their Tempo Traveller vehicle going out of control and hitting a TATA Sumo car.

According to Tirumala traffic police main causes of road accidents in both ghat roads are rash driving, overtaking and also lack of driving skills. An average of 5 to 10 mishaps are registered in Tirumala ghat roads per month. In this number, major percentage are reported on first ghat road which leads from Tirumala to Tirupati.

Two ghat roads are being maintained by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam. First ghat road a stretch of 24 KM with serpentine curves poses a tough situation for driving and the second ghat road a 17 KM stretch is also difficult to drive without ghat road driving skill.

TTD has officially decided that in first ghat road travelling time is 45 minutes from Tirumala to Tirupati. Similarly, in second ghat road it is 28 minutes of travelling time from Tirupati to Tirumala. However private vehicle drivers are not maintaining this time limit and speed limit which was imposed by the TTD and police.

There is a rule that whoever drives vehicle rashly on ghat roads those vehicles listed are not eligible to travel in ghat road again. This rule has been violated by many drivers.

As per the records of Traffic police more than 58 minor and major accident cases have been registered in last six months. By God’s grace fortunately there was no single death toll in above said accidents. ASP MuraliKrishna, Tirumala speaking to The Hans India said that police are trying to reduce vehicle speed and creating awareness among pilgrim and travel vehicle drivers.