Youths beer binge turns fatal

The number of road accidents in old Adilabad district has increased in the summer, as the motorists take to the road after drinking chilled beer.

This has been the cause of a number of accidents that have recently taken place in the Adilabad, Mancherial and Nirmal districts.

Beers sales have increased over the past 15 days, to match the increase in temperatures. In old Adilabad district, people have been experiencing temperatures as high as 46 degree Celsius.

A majority of the road accidents have taken places in the broad daylight, after the consumption of alcohol by young drivers.

In a number of cases, inebriated youngsters have been found riding bikes on NH-44. Two youths died and two others were seriously injured in a road accident that took place Mankuguda in Bheempur mandal of Adilabad district on May 15. The boys had come to Markaguda village attend a marriage.

At the time of the accident, they were on their way to a liquor shop in Bheempur mandal headquarters, buy cold beers to beat the heat. It is learnt that already they had already consumed some alcohol, and this was their second trip to the liquor shop.

In their drunken condition, they hit the RTC bus coming in the opposite direction. 

It has become common practice for the youth to drink chilled beers to keep cool in the intolerable heat. After drinking they often ride bikes without even wearing a helmet.

Nearly seven youngsters have died over the past 15 days, in the daytime in the old Adilabad district.

B. Venkatesh of Adilabad town says that these accidents have been caused by the negligence of people who drive in an inebriated condition. “Youth who have consumed alcohol should not come onto the roads with their bikes”, he says.

Black spots on NH-44 to be fixed

 A RTC bus is going straight without entering into Gudihathnoor bu stand  

The authorities have identified black spots (accidents prone spots) and are diverting the vehicle traffic on National and state Highways to avoid road accidents at identified places in the districts in Telangana.

Experts say that there were many flaws in the design of National Highway- 44 from Nirmal to Adilabad and it seems contactors deliberately avoided conduction of under bridges to enable free flow of vehicles at many places to reduce the expenditure giving scope for road accidents.      

The authorities have diverted the RTC busses to avoid accidents at Gudihathnoor bus stand area which has become danger zone as far as road accidents are concerned on NH-44.

Sangepu Borranna of Gourapur village in Indravelli mandal said more than 20 persons and huge number of cattle died in road accidents while crossing the road   in front of the Gudihathnoor bus stand on NH-44.  

The TSRTC, National Highways Authority (NHAI) and Road transport departments have identified few black spots (accidents prone spots) including Gudihathnoor bus stand areas, Jamdapur crossing from Adilabad town on NH-44.

The RTC authorizes blocked the area in front of the Gudihathnoor bus stand and not allowing the RTC buses or any other private vehicles to take curve suddenly from the NH-44 or come on to the same road.

Now the buses or any private vehicles coming from Adilabad or Indravelli have to go straight half- kilometer distance towards Nirmal from Gudihathnoor bus stand and take U- turn from there and enter into bus stand.

The bus has to go further and take U- turn from there to come onto the NH-44 unlike in the past. However, taking U- turn on the National Highway itself is also posing danger of ghastly accident due to lack of under bridge.

Many road accidents took place while people crossing the NH in front of the Gudihathnoor bus stand and recently a car met with an accident. At same place, more than 20 persons died and many injured after hit by the speeding vehicles proceeding towards Adilabad or Nirmal in the past.

Bus stop at Kupti village in Neredigonda mandal also become accident prone spot the vehicles play on this road at high speed due to slope for long distance and generally drivers lost control on the vehicles and rammed into people waiting for bus or crossing the road or else fell down from the Kupti bridge hitting the iron railing. 

Ramanaveni Srinivas of Kupti village said, ‘authorizes have canceled the RTC express buses halt at Kumari bus stop following the road accidents and only ordinary buses are being halt at the stop now since the buses speed is high due to slope and every possibility for accidents there’.

Entering into Adilabad town at Mavala from crossing the NH-44 is also giving scope for accidents due to lack of under bridge on the out skirts of Adilabad town.