Accidents prompt HP police to deploy teams in Atal Tunnel

There has been no injury or serious damage in any of these accidents, and they're mostly limited to dents in vehicles. (PTI/File)

A number of minor accidents due to rash driving inside the newly-inaugurated Atal Tunnel at Rohtang have prompted the Himachal Pradesh Police to deploy teams of traffic personnel inside and near the tunnel.

According to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) officials, many people using the tunnel have been indulging in overspeeding and negligent driving. “Minor accidents are occuring on almost a daily basis. On Thursday, three such accidents took place. There has been no injury or serious damage in any of these accidents, and they’re mostly limited to dents in vehicles. It usually happens during overtaking or overspeeding, or when a vehicle suddenly comes to a halt,” said a BRO official.

He said that there was also an accident on the road leading to the tunnel’s south portal on Wednesday, when a truck fell on a parked car.

The Kullu police said that they have deployed 35 police personnel inside and near the tunnel to check traffic violations. “Seven vehicles were challaned for overspeeding on Wednesday and three on Thursday. The police are trying to ensure that there’s no overspeeding, overtaking, rash driving or unnecessary stopping of vehicle inside the tunnel,” said a police official. Personnel from the Lahaul-Spiti police have also been deployed on the northern side of the tunnel.

“As reports of mad rush to newly inaugurated tunnel, accidents and rash driving trickle in, need to define and enforce tunnel appropriate behaviour, more like Covid appropriate behaviour or Metro compliant conduct,” tweeted former western army commander Lt Gen KJ Singh.

Earlier, the engineering marvel, which has now become a tourist hotspot, had reported three accidents in three days after its inauguration October 3 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi

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