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regular-article-logo Sunday, 29 December 2024

Rajasthan accident toll rises to 14; HC issues notices to Centre, state govt

Issuing the notices, Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand listed the matter for further hearing on January 10

PTI Published 21.12.24, 10:21 PM
Firefighters douse the fire at the site of the accident after a truck loaded with a chemical collided with some other vehicles and caught fire on the Jaipur-Ajmer Highway

Firefighters douse the fire at the site of the accident after a truck loaded with a chemical collided with some other vehicles and caught fire on the Jaipur-Ajmer Highway PTI

The toll in the LPG tanker accident on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway rose to 14 after three more people succumbed on Saturday, while Rajasthan High Court issued notices to the central and the state governments after taking suo-motu cognisance.

Issuing the notices, Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand listed the matter for further hearing on January 10.

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A truck collided with an LPG tanker on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway early on Friday, turning the stretch into an inferno that engulfed nearly 40 vehicles.

The high court made some critical observations and said an unfortunate incident had snatched the lives of several people and caused severe life-threatening injuries to others.

"Suo motu cognisance is taken to find out the solutions to overcome such unfortunate incidents of fire at public places in the interest of the public at large," it said.

In a related development, a committee constituted by the Jaipur district collector Jitendra Soni held its first meeting with the authorities concerned.

The committee is likely to submit its report on Monday.

So far, 14 people have died of injuries suffered in the blaze while 24 people, who suffered burn injuries, are undergoing treatment.

"Five charred bodies were received on Friday. Eight others have died. Total 14 deaths have been reported so far. Twenty-four patients are admitted in Sawai Man Singh Hospital (Jaipur). Seven are on ventilator support," hospital superintendent Sushil Bhati said.

He added that the body of one more victim was taken to another hospital.

Five bodies are yet to be identified, Bhati said.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot met the victims at the hospital.

"Our condolence to the families whose members have died. Best-quality medical help is being provided to those injured," Pilot told reporters.

"We should investigate the incident and the reasons which led to such a tragedy. Be it traffic rules, road construction and precautions that have to be taken on highways, we need to study it," he added.

Pilot said there should be a fair and transparent investigation.

"We all know about the accident spot. Why was construction not completed? Who is the contractor and agency? We need to know the facts after a detailed probe," he said.

He also said that accidents were rising with the increase in the number of vehicles in the country.

"Governments will have to seriously think whether safety norms are being followed," the Congress leader said.

The BJP's Rajasthan president and Rajya Sabha MP Madan Rathore also visited the hospital and enquired about the victims' wellbeing.

The state's BJP government stands with the families of the victims. Every possible help will be provided to the injured, he said.

The central and the state governments have announced financial assistance to the families of those who died, he added.

Road safety experts said incomplete construction, sudden cuts and a lack of traffic sense might have caused the accident and called for a comprehensive statewide road safety action plan.

They also attributed the absence of proper signages and road markings for the accident.

"The stretch of the Jaipur-Ajmer highway where the crash occurred is an accident-prone spot, with poor traffic management and ongoing construction creating hazardous conditions," said George Cheriyan, a prominent voice of Road Safety Network in India and a former member of the Rajasthan chief secretary's traffic management committee.

Road safety expert Dr Prerna Arora Singh said, "There is no high mast lighting system at the intersection. Visibility becomes very low during winters. There is no radium, reflector or signal marker of any kind at the cut." She also said the width of the cut at the intersection was too narrow.

"If a big truck such as a container or gas tanker passes through, it blocks the road on both sides. This could possibly be the reason for the accident," Singh said.

She also said there was a lack of road traffic sense among people that needed to be improved through interventions.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.

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