CCTV footage from the scene of a fatal accident on Thursday afternoon has raised serious concerns about the practices of the traffic police in Gatthaghar Chowk. The incident occurred near the Flyover Bridge, a section of the Araniko Highway with heavy traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours.
The footage shows that despite the high volume of vehicles, traffic police are seemingly only checking one of the two lanes. This practice, coupled with their strategy of stopping vehicles for inspections from the Akashe bridge, has created a dangerous situation.
The footage reveals that vehicles traveling on both lanes are suddenly forced to merge into a single lane due to these traffic checks. This abrupt change in traffic flow can lead to accidents, as drivers may be caught off guard and have to brake suddenly to avoid collisions.
In the incident captured on CCTV, a truck (Na 6 Kha 2173) struck a scooter (Ba 39 Pa 8944), resulting in the tragic death of the scooter driver, Uttam Koirala from Okhaldhunga.
Following the accident, angry locals staged a protest, blocking the main road and vandalizing the truck. Police had to resort to tear gas to disperse the crowd.
This incident has underscored the urgent need for a review of traffic management policies and practices. The manner and location of traffic checks, especially during peak hours, must be re-evaluated to ensure road safety and prevent similar tragedies.
