Surge in wrong-way driving in Hyderabad poses serious road safety threat
Hyderabad: Hyderabad city is witnessing a disturbing surge in the number of motorists violating traffic rules by driving on the wrong side of the road. One such black spot is the stretch between Darga and Nanakramguda, where this dangerous practice has become a daily occurrence, posing a serious threat to road users.
Thirupati Reddy @NTReddy6113 took to ‘X,’ formerly known as Twitter to address this issue, tagging key officials such as the Telangana DGP and Cyberabad Traffic Police. In his post, Reddy highlighted the daily occurrences of vehicles traveling in the wrong direction, particularly from Darga to Nanakramguda, and pointed out the significant safety hazard this poses.
Road Safety Concern:
Dear All,
I would like to bring to your attention a daily occurrence of vehicles traveling in the wrong direction, this is from Darga to Nanakramguda. This poses a significant safety hazard. @CYBTRAFFIC @TelanganaDGP @TopDriverIndia @sselvan @TelanganaCMO pic.twitter.com/xrEUexX2Yf
— N T Reddy (@NTReddy6113) August 6, 2024
In response, the Cyberabad Traffic Police assured Reddy that they would inform the Raidurgam Traffic Police to verify the situation and take necessary action.
Speaking with the Hyderabad Mail, Thirupati Reddy, a local resident, expressed his concerns, saying, “Wrong-direction driving has been a problem in Telangana for many years. The police should impose stricter fines and legal actions. The limited number of traffic cops and the closure of many U-Turns due to inadequate traffic management are contributing factors. This lack of monitoring leads drivers to take the wrong direction.”
Thirupati Reddy suggested that the police should increase their surveillance of the roads. “To deter these wrong-way drivers, the police should observe traffic more frequently. Vehicles of repeat offenders should be seized immediately. In light of the limited staff, involving the public in reporting violations could help. Providing incentives for reporting could also create a sense of accountability among drivers.”
Reddy also criticised the practice of offering discounts on traffic fines at the end of the year, calling it a wasteful measure that undermines the enforcement of traffic rules. “Offering discounts on fines does not encourage change among drivers,” he remarked.
Sri Harsha Tulasi, Road Squad Admin, told the Hyderabad Mail that one of the main reasons for wrong-way driving is the desire to save time. He said that recent increases in U-turns have contributed to the problem. “Wrong-side driving is a serious violation that can lead to head-on collisions and severe accidents. The police must enhance surveillance and enforce stricter penalties to combat this issue, as seen in recent special drives in cities like Mumbai.”
One user on X suggested that installing CCTV cameras at key locations and issuing penalty challans could effectively curb these violations. “The Traffic Police could generate significant revenue from penalties while gradually reducing traffic offenses,” the user commented.
Another user highlighted a similar issue in their area, urging for increased police presence or the installation of cameras to address the problem of drivers entering main roads from the wrong side.
In response to these concerns, many users suggested that either more U-turns be added or stricter penalties be enforced to address wrong-side driving, which is becoming a serious road safety issue in Hyderabad.
