Dividers to come up on NH 59 passing through Berhampur city

Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Berhampur Ajit Mishra has directed the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to put dividers on the stretch of NH 59 that passes through the city to curb rising accidents. Mr. Ajit Mishra has passed the order while dealing with a case filed under Section 133 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in his court by former secretary of Ganjam Bar Association (GBA) Manoj Patnaik. According to the directive, dividers will come up in the middle of the highway to bifurcate the incoming and outgoing traffic to check accidents. Dividers will be put up on a stretch of 15 km of NH 59 from Ambapua to Budhighara temple on the outskirts of the city. The highway authorities have also been directed to put extra watch on most accident-prone stretch of the highway between Engineering School square and Budhighara temple. Mr. Patnaik filed the case on January 20. The NH 59 was formerly NH 217. The road connecting Gopalpur Port with Raipur in Chhattisgarh has become NH 217 through gazette notification made in 2001. Stretch of this highway that passes through the city also became most accident prone zone. As per the data provided by city police, between April 2001 and April 2010, 104 persons died and 269 persons were injured due to accidents on this stretch of road. So, there was a demand for measures to check incidences of frequent accidents on this stretch of highway. Another reason for the accidents on this stretch of highway is unauthorized parking of passenger vehicles including buses. In March, the SDM also ordered against unauthorized passenger bus stoppages from the stretch of the highway that passes through the city. But till date unauthorized parking of passenger buses has not been checked. It is alleged that although the city has two bus stands, yet passenger buses and mini buses block the road at different places for long periods.

Source: The Hindu