Times of India | 4 days ago | 06-08-2022 | 08:29 am
Nashik: The rural belt of north Maharashtra has registered maximum casualties in road accident in the past two-and-a half years.As per the available figures, as many as 6,266 people lost their lives in road accidents in North Maharashtra, out of which the figure for Nashik rural stands at 2,030.In 2020, a total of 2,297 lives were lost in road accidents with Nashik Rural being on top of the chart with 752 deaths followed by Ahmednagar (620), Jalgaon (439), Dhule (353) and Nandurbar (133).The following year (2021), the number of fatalities increased by around 10% to 2,530 and Nashik Rural was again on top with 804 deaths, while Nandurbar registered the lowest number of deaths (170). Ahmednagar (749) and Jalgaon (471) also witnessed a rise in the number of people losing their lives in road mishaps. However, Dhule (336) was the only district in North Maharashtra to report lesser deaths than the previous year.This year, from January to June, 1,439 people have lost their lives in the North Maharashtra region as against 1,320 in the corresponding period last year. Here as well Nashik Rural is on top with 474 deaths.Many national and state highways pass through North Maharashtra region owing to which the flow of vehicular traffic is heavy. Superintendent of police (Nashik Rural) Sachin Patil, while talking to TOI, said, “We are taking various measures to bring down the number of accidents. At 95, Nashik Rural has the highest number of accident blackspots in the state. There are two national and six state highways that pass through 15 talukas of the rural district.”He added, “Over-speeding is the main reason for the accidents and two speed guns with the police is not serving the purpose of curbing the cases of over-speeding. Hence, apart from putting in efforts to control over-speeding, we are also co-ordinating with the NHAI, state PWD and other departments to take up measures to improve the infrastructure at the accident blackspots.”