Speeding tippers go unchecked, pose risk to commuters

Srinagar, Apr 7:  Movement of speeding and numberless tippers in the summer capital from evening to morning poses risk of accidents.

Recently a person lost his life to a speeding tipper at HMT locality on city outskirts, an area that is prone to accidents by tippers and trucks. People say that in the absence of strict measures to regulate the movement of tippers, such incidents will continue to happen.

Several commuters said that they had narrow escape as tippers move at a fast speed in the evening and at night. “In a bid to make more trips overnight to transport material and goods, these tippers ply at a high speed, posing a threat to people who travel during that time. Ironically the tipper drive cover the number plates to avoid identification in case of an accident,” said Faisal Ahmad, a commuter.

“There are many commuters who had night shifts. There are patients and other travellers who travel in late at night hours as well. Authorities should also think about them as well and deploy traffic cops to keep speeding tippers in check,” said Mehrajuddin, a commuter.

Last year, a traffic cop was among two killed in a road accident after a speeding truck hit them in Srinagar. Earlier this year, another tipper plunged into Dal Lake when it lost control. The incident led to the death of the driver.

As per the data from traffic police, pedestrian deaths in Srinagar constituted over 48 percent of total road accident deaths in 2023. Many pedestrians have fallen prey to accidents by speeding tippers and trucks over the years.

A senior official from Traffic police said that they will ensure that tippers and other vehicles won’t move unchecked. He said that all measures will be put in place to ensure the safety of pedestrians and commuters.

“We are keeping a check on the issue, and we will ensure that more strict measures are put in place, and more cops are present on the ground to tackle the issue,” said the official.