Mangaluru Police Implements Median Barricades on National Highway for Pedestrian Safety
In a significant move to enhance road safety, Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy CH has announced that medians along the national highway will be barricaded to ensure pedestrians cross roads only at designated zebra crossings. This initiative was revealed during the National Road Safety Month programme organized by Mangaluru City Police on Tuesday, highlighting the city's ongoing efforts to reduce traffic accidents and fatalities.
Alarming Road Accident Statistics Revealed
The police commissioner presented sobering data from the previous year, revealing that Mangaluru recorded 1,014 road accidents that claimed 171 lives and left 1,213 people injured. A detailed breakdown shows pedestrians accounted for 67 deaths (representing 39% of total fatalities) and 249 injured cases (21% of total injuries). Meanwhile, two-wheeler accidents resulted in 82 deaths (48% of fatalities) and 627 injured cases (52% of total injuries).
Comprehensive Road Safety Measures Announced
Commissioner Reddy emphasized that barricading work is already in progress to prevent unsafe crossings through medians. He also addressed several critical concerns:
- Underage Riding: Expressed serious concerns regarding minors operating vehicles without proper licenses
- Drunk Driving Crackdown: Instructed police personnel to invoke sections related to culpable homicide in fatal cases involving drunk driving. Offenders will be booked under Section 105 of the BNS, which carries punishment of up to 10-year imprisonment
- Communalization Warning: Noted that attempts to communalize accident cases will not be tolerated
- Drunk Driving Statistics: Revealed that over 600 drunk driving cases were registered last year
Medical and Legal Perspectives on Road Safety
Dr. Arjun Shetty, Professor and Head of Neurosurgery at KMC Hospital, emphasized the devastating consequences of road accidents beyond physical trauma. "Road accident injuries not only cause severe physical harm but also financially devastate families," he stated. Dr. Shetty called for zero tolerance toward drunken driving, asserting that occasional alcohol consumption cannot serve as an excuse. He also advocated for stricter norms for driving license renewal for individuals aged 60-65 and above.
District Legal Services Authority Member Secretary Zaibunnisa provided national context, noting that India records an average of 4.5 lakh road accidents annually, leading to approximately 1.6 lakh deaths, with driver negligence being the primary cause.
Technological and Infrastructure Improvements
DCP (Crime and Traffic) Ravi Shankar K shared additional statistics and initiatives:
- Karnataka recorded 43,130 accidents in 2025, resulting in 10,625 deaths
- Mangaluru reports an average of 1,020 accident cases annually over the past three years
- 16 accident-prone black spots have been identified with corrective measures underway
- 169 AI-enabled cameras installed at 28 locations across the city and outskirts to monitor traffic violations and take legal action against offenders
- Proposals to improve major junctions submitted to Mangaluru City Corporation
- Last year, police booked 2.43 lakh traffic violation cases and collected fines amounting to Rs 9.5 crore
Community Cooperation Emphasized
Director and actor Devadas Kapikad appealed to the public to cooperate with police by strictly adhering to traffic regulations. This call for community participation underscores the collective responsibility required to make Mangaluru's roads safer for all users.
The comprehensive approach combining infrastructure improvements, technological surveillance, legal enforcement, and public awareness demonstrates Mangaluru police's multi-faceted strategy to address the city's road safety challenges.
