CHENNAI: A tanker knocked down a 23-year-old woman riding pillion on a scooter on the Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam radial road on Friday night. She died on the spot.

The Chitlapakkam police identified the victim as S. Anuradha of Pammal. Her colleague Ajitha was driving the vehicle. They were returning home after work at a private company in Pallikaranai. The driver is absconding.

Increase in traffic

With a gradual increase in traffic on this road connecting Pallavaram and Chromepet to Keelkattalai and Pallikaranai, the radial road has been witnessing a spurt in accidents. Four-wheelers and heavy vehicles travel at breakneck speeds, adding to the chaos.

Most of the vehicles are involved in sewage cleaning and carrying water, as many localities on either side of the road are dotted with farm wells. Members of the Kovilambakkam Youth Exnora said that after drawing water, the tankers travel on the wrong side of the road before crossing the road. Some drive over the medians, they said.

A few months ago a tipper lorry knocked down a moped at the Keelkattalai intersection, killing a 21-year-old person. Bad roads and the yet-to-be-completed road overbridge linking the Grand Southern Trunk Road and the radial road compound the situation.

Members of the Youth Exnora said that while the police were regularly seen checking speeding two-wheelers, no efforts were taken to discipline heavy vehicles, which cause several fatal accidents.

Youth killed

Ramesh, a fourth year Sree Venkateswara College student from Besant Nagar, was killed when his two-wheeler collided head-on with a car on the Old Mahabalipuram Road at around 4.30 p.m.

According to the Thoraipakkam police, as the six-lane work, taken up as part of the IT corridor project traffic on a stretch of the road near Sathyabhama Engineering College, was on, traffic was being diverted into one lane. A car speeding down the road lost control and hit the two-wheeler, which Ramesh was riding.

"Ramesh and his friend Rahul Raghavan were admitted to a private hospital. Later, Ramesh succumbed to his injuries. His friend is undergoing treatment," said officials.

The car driver, Venkatapathy, was arrested and later remanded.

The police have recorded 96 fatal accidents in 2006, said the Greater Chennai Commissioner of Police, R. Nataraj. However, he said, "This is 20 per cent lesser than last year."

Pedestrians and two-wheeler riders remained the most vulnerable lot on city roads.

Last year, 117 pedestrians were killed in road accidents, he said.

"We must have a zebra crossing every 500 metres. We are working on it," said the Commissioner after flagging off a float prepared by Tata AIG Life to create traffic awareness.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail