Spike in pedestrian deaths in Srinagar this year

Srinagar, Dec 17: Nearly half of the deaths caused by road accidents include pedestrians in the summer capital.

As per data accessed by Greater Kashmir, 54 persons lost their lives in Srinagar due to road accidents, and most of them included pedestrians. The data reveals that out of 54 deaths, 26 are those of pedestrians who were hit by vehicles across various areas in Srinagar.

The data reveals that pedestrian deaths constitute 48.15 percent of the total death toll this year, which is almost half the deaths caused by road accidents in 2023. The data further reveals that in the last four years 192 people lost their lives in Srinagar in road accidents only. The data reveals that out of them 89 were pedestrians. The percentage of pedestrian deaths in the last four years stands at 46.35 percent, which is almost half the chunk of total death toll in road accidents.

An official from the traffic department said that in addition to following best practices in driving and spreading more awareness, many other issues like footpath encroachment have to be addressed.

“In Srinagar, footpath encroachment by vendors has caused a major issue in traffic management and is forcing pedestrians to walk on roads which are risky. There are various infrastructural issues that force pedestrians to use roads instead of footpaths. In some areas, there are lack of footpaths, and in other areas, the footpaths have to be cleared of encroachment of vendors and shopkeepers,” said the official.

In a recent conversation about the issue, SMC Commissioner and Srinagar Smart City CEO Athar Aamir Khan, said that both the departments are working on this issue of encroachment by roadside vendors.

He said that the department is identifying special vending zones under the smart city and SMC projects so that the footpaths and roads are cleared from this encroachment.

“We have projects of many such vending zones in the pipeline, and once projects are commissioned, we will not have this issue,” Khan said.

Locals in Srinagar say that as officials are turning a blind eye to the issue, precious lives are lost. They said in addition to the lack of basic civic sense in both commuters and pedestrians, the infrastructural loopholes are major causes of this issue. SSP Traffic Srinagar City, Muzaffar Ahmad Shah said that traffic rules and other awareness programs have to be both driver-focused and pedestrian focused to address the issue. He said clear footpaths and upgradation in infrastructure will play a vital role in mitigating the issue.

“The data reveals the grim reality of road accidents in Srinagar. In addition to increasing awareness and civic sense, there are other areas where work has to be done. Overpass bridges, clear footpaths, Zebra crossings, and better signage can play a vital role in guiding people while walking on the road. We will ensure to increase our focus on this. If people and authorities work together and these loopholes are addressed, we can reduce 50 percent of the fatalities,” Shah said.

Officials said that initiatives like better illumination of roads and streets coupled with strictly following traffic rules can prove to be important for saving so many lives.