The Urban Planning and Development Authority (UPDA) is working on a novel idea to check the accidents on highways. It has proposed to set up free tea hubs on the highways.
On an experimental basis it would first set up such tea hubs at specified distances on the Lucknow-Agra Express Way. The drivers would have the privilege of sipping free tea at these hubs.
The object is to provide short journey break for the drivers and to give time for being refreshed.
“It has been found that there were no stop points on the highway, except the toll Tax point, where the drivers could rest for a short while. This led to rise in the numbers of the road accidents. During the past one year over fifty accidents took place on the highway and the survival rate had been zero,” said the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Urban Planning and Development Authority (UPDA) Avneesh Awasthi.
“Most of the accidents happened as the driver snoozed while driving. In order to keep them awake and alert during long journey they would be offered free tea at these hubs,” he added.
Besides, the UPDA had asked Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) to identify the chief causes of growing accidents on the highway
In its report submitted to UPDA the CRRI has pointed out several structural faults on the road. The report said that the road was very narrow at certain points and it needed to be widened.
Several road-cuts to facilitate the people and the vehicles should be closed. On important road-cuts warning lights should be installed the report said.
