[sustran] Expert to HC: Design flaw killed 300 on Gurgaon expressway in 2014

Asija, Navdeep navdeep.asija at gmail.com
Sat Jan 24 15:28:31 JST 2015


By: Express News Service | New Delhi | Posted: January 24, 2015

The 28-km Delhi-Gurgaon expressway witnessed 300 accident-related deaths
last year due to a flawed design that has compromised safety on the
highway, a road safety expert told the Punjab and Haryana High Court on
Friday.

Safety expert Navdeep Kumar Asija was quoting from figures with the Union
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. A majority of the deaths were of
pedestrians and cyclists, he said.

A special division bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ajay Tewari
then directed the Haryana government to file its reply on the issue by
February 27.

The High Court had sought Asija’s help after taking suo motu notice of the
issue of developing vehicle-free zones in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.
On Friday, Asija told the court that when the expressway was built in
2007-08, necessary infrastructure to ensure safety of pedestrians and
cyclists was not built, allegedly to profit the concessionaire.

Asija requested the High Court to start criminal proceedings against the
officers and authorities concerned, including the concessionaire and
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Asija further told the court that the expressway had been designed for a
35-year period when it was opened on January 23, 2008.

However, within six years, there is now a proposal to further develop the
expressway at a cost of Rs 760 crore.

He said this work is being undertaken jointly by the Gurgaon Municipal
Corporation and NHAI.


- See more at:
http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/expert-to-hc-design-flaw-killed-300-on-gurgaon-expressway-in-2014/#sthash.CO3zHvvA.dpuf


PS : Small correction, 300 are the total deaths during period of study by
Ministry and not in 2014 alone.


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