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Gandhi statue blamed for frequent mishaps Thursday, November 29, 2001

SOURCE - TIMES NEWS NETWORK
AHMEDABAD: Twenty-four year old Rinku Shah's death in an accident at Income-tax circle on Tuesday has raked up a controversy with the police pinning the blame for the frequent mishaps at the busy intersection on faulty positioning of the Mahatma Gandhi statue.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Samiullah Ansari has decided to write to Ahmedabad Municipal commissioner Panneervel, suggesting the statue be shifted to a 'safer' spot. The 80-foot wide road has been apparently narrowed down by at least seven metres due to the memorial which is also the most sought-after venue for demonstrations.

Five years back, there was a move to relocate the statue which was turned down in the wake of political opposition. During the period, the AMC was forced to shift the statue of Veer Savarkar to a corner of Tagore hall following protests against its installation at the Paldi intersection.

Traffic sub-inspector KP Gohil, an eyewitness to Rinku's death, feels the statue ought to be relocated if lives are to be saved. Almost a month back another man lost his life at the same spot, points out Ansari.

The logic behind his argument is that every vehicle in the 11-foot lanes on both sides is forced to take a detour to avoid the statue and thus the space gets squeezed.

"The light had changed from red to green and a Maruti car, Rinku's Kinetic Honda and the ST bus started off at the same time. The car, which was near the statue, was forced to move towards the left and probably grazed Rinku's Kinetic," says Gohil.

There have been nine accidents at this intersection in this year of which two were fatal. Ten accidents were recorded last year.

An employee of Delta Rubber and Plastic products Dayal B Patel had written to Ansari a day before the accident, complaining about an arch placed at the intersection.

A copy of the letter made available to 'The Times of India' states that "after the opening of the railway underpass, the traffic load has increased to great extent".

Gohil, who does two shifts at the intersection in a day, vouches that every ten-minute demonstration results in traffic jams which extend up to two-and-a half hours.

News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]

 

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