Motorcyclists, auto drivers urged to use service roads instead of NH-16 in Visakhapatnam city limits

Kancharapalem Traffic Police appeal to two-wheelers & auto-rickshaws to use service roads for road safety, reducing traffic rush on NH-16.

In view of the increasing bike accidents on the NH-16 in the city limits, the Kancharapalem traffic police, as a pilot project, have appealed to the two-wheelers and auto-rickshaw drivers to use service roads, thereby reducing the traffic rush on the highway.

The police have arranged sign boards on the road medians regarding the changes to alert the motorists and made announcements of the appeal through public addressing systems at Birla Junction, Kancharapalem Mettu, NAD Junction and Punjab Junction Road.

“We have just made an appeal to the two-wheelers and the auto-rickshaws to use service roads as part of road safety. It is up to them to use the route they wish. However, we are suggesting an option to the people,” said Inspector, Kancharapalem (Traffic) M. Apparao.

He said that sometimes, heavy vehicles might be driven rashly, try to overtake or may not see a two-wheeler coming from behind. Such situations generally lead to two-wheeler accidents on a highway. Though we have been strictly implementing speed limits in the city, this idea of diverting small vehicles onto the service roads is strictly to prevent accidents,” he added.

The Inspector said that the city has long stretches of service roads between Thatichetlapalem Junction to Marriot Hotel Junction under Kancharapalem traffic limits, and at Gajuwaka and PM Palem areas where two-wheelers can choose the safer option.

Some of the two-wheeler riders opined that the police should have diverted the heavy vehicles on the Anandapuram to Anakapalli highway instead of asking them to use service roads. Meanwhile, some scooterists opined that the rash driving of auto-rickshaws coming in the opposite direction and the encroachments by vendors on the service roads lead to traffic issues.

A senior police officer said that with the presence of a number of PSUs and industries in the city, and the ongoing construction activities, it is almost impossible to stop heavy vehicles from passing through the city NH-16. They can be only restricted during some peak timings, he said.