A series of reported accidents on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in Vasai has prompted the traffic police to begin a daily loudspeaker awareness campaign aimed at preventing pedestrian deaths. Officers are urging people not to cross the highway directly and to use the pedestrian bridges and underpasses provided along the route.
The campaign follows what police describe as a continuing rise in serious accidents involving pedestrians who attempt to cross the highway. The report does not provide a toll or a precise number of incidents, but says that pedestrian fatalities have increased in recent months as traffic volumes on the major national highway have grown.
According to the report, the presence of fast-moving heavy vehicles has made direct crossings especially dangerous. Pedestrians may misjudge the speed of approaching vehicles or attempt to cross in a hurry, exposing themselves to collisions. Traffic police said the problem has also become more pronounced as industrial areas along the highway have expanded.
Workers travelling to and from factories are among those who frequently cross the highway, according to the report. Police said this movement, combined with heavy and fast traffic, has contributed to the danger faced by people attempting to cross the road rather than using designated facilities.
The special awareness drive is being conducted every morning and evening in locations where pedestrian movement is high and the risk of accidents is considered greater. Police are using loudspeakers to repeatedly tell citizens not to put their lives at risk by crossing the highway and to use the pedestrian bridges and subways constructed by the administration.
“Do not risk your life by crossing the highway; use the pedestrian bridges and underpasses provided by the administration,” traffic police inspector Prashant Langhi said, according to the report. He said the police were taking measures to reduce accidents and appealed to citizens not to cross the road in haste.
The traffic department has also warned that pedestrians who repeatedly ignore safety instructions could face legal action. Police said crossing the road in a manner that endangers one’s life and violating traffic rules could result in action after repeated warnings.
The campaign places responsibility on pedestrians to use designated crossings, but the report does not detail whether additional barriers, lighting, staffing or changes to the existing pedestrian infrastructure are planned. It also does not provide accident data, identify specific locations with the highest number of incidents, or state how long the awareness campaign will continue. For now, traffic police said the morning and evening loudspeaker operation would continue in high-risk, high-footfall areas as part of efforts to reduce crashes.
