Bhopal: BRTS turning into accident zone, BMC to run awareness campaign

Bhopal: In a bid to check accidents on BRTS corridor, Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) will run an awareness campaigns to check trespassing at the dedicated bus express-way. The decision has been taken in view of the traffic violations leading to accident on the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) corridors in recent past.

The Bhopal city link limited (BCLL), which manages the designated bus lanes, will once again deploy volunteers at entry gates of the corridors which are now turning into accident zones. On Saturday, a man lost his life at BRTS corridor, which is lying unmanned and unlocked after specified hours.

With no one to check, other vehicles have also started running through the BRTS corridor which has been designed for plying Bhopal city link limited (BCLL) buses only. Some emergency vehicles including ambulances are also allowed to take this route, but not vehicles other than BCLL busses.

In wake of accidents on BRTS, the BCLL has again decided to deploy volunteers on the corridor. According to BCLL chief executive officer Chandramauli Shukla, the corridors are being monitored through CCTV cameras but there is need to sensitize people further as despite clear instructions they have been violating the rules. Vehicles are entering BRTS lanes and the errant drivers have even pulled down gates during night, informed Shukla.

He said that we need to run a sensitization campaign to make people aware about BRTS traffic rule. We will also deploy traffic volunteers at the gates so that the trespassers could be stopped from entering the corridor, he added.

Initially, the BMC had deployed traffic volunteers at the entry gates of the corridors to make sure that only designated vehicles were plying on the route. However, after the civic body withdrew their volunteers, other vehicles including commercial and private started passing through the BRTS lane.

To check this traffic violation, BCLL had erected gates at the entry points of the corridor. However, even they failed to serve the purpose as many of these gates have become non-functional and even developed snag. Vehicles run at high speed on the road as during night.

Vehicle knocks down man at BRTS

A 45-year-old man lost his life on Saturday night after being hit by a speeding vehicle which allegedly belonged to a government official. The deceased Murli Talreja was crossing the corridor when a speeding vehicle coming from wrong side in the lane hit him which led to his death later in hospital. Accidents on BRTS corridor have been reporte4d in past also.

Meanwhile, police are yet to trace the vehicle which mowed down the man. According to sources, the vehicle belongs to an SDOP rank officer, however cops did not confirm it. An RTI activist Ajay Patidar who had complained about the accident said that the cops are trying to save the accused.

He claimed that Malkeet Singh was driving the vehicle. SP South Rahul Kumar Lodha said that the matter is under investigation and that the accused would be held soon as police are scanning the CCTV camera footages of the areas around.