Top five accident-prone zones in the city

Patna roads are unsafe and there is no doubt about it! Though the city is growing fast with soaring flyovers and smooth-running national highways, it is still chaotic when it comes to life on roads. According to reports, the first quarter of 2018 saw around 1,125 road accidents in Bihar. Highest numbers have been registered in Patna, which is 212. PT surveys the top five accident-prone areas in the city.Read on…
New Bypass Road
New bypasses often make headlines for road accidents. NH 30 is one such accident-prone zone in the city. Drivers do not adhere to traffic rules and try to overtake without limiting speed. It’s the only route for trucks, buses and other smaller or bigger vehicles. Though the authorities have put up warning signs like ‘Durghatna Se Der Bhali’ and ‘`600 fine for overtaking’, trucks and tractors that ferry sand, cement and bricks, do not pay heed to these warnings. There is neither any police patrolling team anywhere nor would you get any quick medical aid if necessary.
Mithapur bus stand
Mithapur bus stand is worst affected when it comes to traffic. The bus stand is not only situated at the busiest part of the town, it also has many colleges like NIFT, CNLU and more, aligned next to the bus stand. Last April, a student from NIFT lost her life while she was crossing the road after college. “I drive my mom every day to her office via Mithapur bus stand. It is exhausting if you are stuck in the traffic for hours because of the construction work going on for ages,” said Rohit Kumar, a resident of Mithapur. The passers-by put their lives at stake while crossing roads. The traffic police either stand helpless or are off-duty most of the time.
Chiraiyatand Road
Most people complain that flyovers in the city have not been constructed in a methodical manner. And Chiraiyatand Pul (bridge) is one of them. Ajit Kr Sinham, a regular commuter, said, “This bridge is narrower than the rest of the flyovers in the city. Because of the flyover, the road has also become narrower and the encroachments add to the chaos. Accidents happen when drivers try to overtake.” People cross roads at their own risk. The encroachments on the side of the roads, construction of mid-road temple and illegal parkings also lead to traffic mayhem.
Anisabad Roundabout
Last January, Aditi Priya (20), a student of Magadh Mahila College, met with an accident near Anisabad Roundabout. She was driving her scooter. As the truck driver was trying to escape, he again crashed into other parked bikes. “One cannot blame the cold weather and foggy view that led to the accident. The Roundabout is a risky zone. According to State Traffic Rules, heavy trucks are not allowed to ply before 11 pm. Trucks can enter the city only between 11 pm and 6 am. But there’s no improvement in traffic rules and truck drivers couldn’t care less,” said Amir Hassan, a lawyer by profession and a resident of Alinagar.
Kankerbagh Main Road
Kankerbagh Main Road is another zone that witnesses maximum accidents. Last January, Sandeep Kumar, a 19-year-old student of College of Commerce, was hit by an auto-rickshaw. And before he could even come to his senses, a speeding city bus ran over him, leading to his death.
Sitanshu Amar, who runs a medicine shop near Kankerbagh Main Road, said, “The road is always chaotic because there’s a flyover on one side and a railway station on the other. Auto-rickshaws keep hovering around the station barring the main road. The City College happens to be just opposite the railway station, where the flyover starts, making it one of the busiest locations. However, it is difficult to find a traffic police on duty.”
The official version:
‘We have asked the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to construct a service lane across the stretch. NHAI regional officer, AK Mishra, and a road construction department official have gone to inspect the stretch for construction of an underpass, which will cut down traffic flow on New Bypass’
— Nand Kishore Yadav, road construction department minister
‘We are planning to instal close circuit cameras to
keep a close eye on rash driving and those violating traffic rules’
— Manu Maharaj, Patna senior superintendent of police
— Alisha Shireen and Saurav Singh