Preparation of Chennai road safety plan commenced

According to a Corporation official, the private consultant has been selected for conducting a study in the city as well as to prepare a plan. “During the meeting, the personnel from the consultant apprised the methodology and area of the study. The consultant will start the study in a few days. After the study report is finalised, accident-prone areas, road junctions and others will be modified accordingly,” the official said. 

In 2020, the civic body has decided to prepare a road plan for the city and form a road safety cell in a move to reduce accidents and improve road conditions across the city. The comprehensive road safety and action plan, which is for five years from 2021 to 2026, also aims to reduce fatalities by 50 per cent over five years. 

As per the Chennai Smart City Limited data, Chennai alone contributes to nearly 11.9 per cent of total accidents and 10.3 per cent of total road fatalities in the state. In the city, nearly 21 per cent of fatalities were observed on national highways, 18 per cent on state highways and 61 per cent on other roads. 

Ironically, most of the road fatalities involved vulnerable road users, comprising pedestrians, cyclists and two-wheelers.