The Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh has witnessed a massive rise in the number of accidents and casualties ever since its inauguration in 2012. In the period between 2012 and 2016, the Expressway has seen a 287% rise in the number of deaths. According to the latest data released by the Yamuna Expressway Development Authority (YEDA), at least two fatal accidents occur on the Expressway every week, while at least three accidents take place every day, in which a minimum of 4-5 people become “victims”. YEDA categorised the “victims” of road accidents as “minor victims”, “major victims” and “fatal”, in its response to an RTI application filed by this newspaper.
A total of 548 people died in 411 fatal accidents between 2012 and 2016. The total number of accidents between 2012 and 2016 is 4,076, in which 6,503 people have become “victims”.
The YEDA categorised the accidents under four sub-heads as “non-injured”, “minor”, “major” and “fatal”. The highest number of fatal accidents took place in 2016, with 102 such accidents being recorded. The total number of fatal accidents on the Expressway between 2012 and 2016 is 411: there were 23 fatal accidents in 2012; 89 in 2013; 98 in 2014; and 99 in 2014. In 2012, 33 people died on the Expressway following accidents; 118 in 2013; 127 in 2014; 142 died in 2015; and 128 in 2016.
As per the data, there were 304 “minor victims” in 2012; 989 in 2013; 964 in 2014; 994 in 2015; and 1,077 in 2016. In 2012, 87 people suffered “major injuries” following accidents on the Expressway. But in 2013, the number rose to 356. In 2014, there were 371 such victims; 398 in 2015 and 415 in 2016.
The “non-injured” category registered a 1,700% hike between 2012 and 2016, with the total number of 1,331 such accidents, where the passengers escaped unharmed after being in an accident. In 2012, there were 27 such accidents, where nobody was injured. But in 2013, the number reached 306. In 2016, the highest number was recorded, with 499 accidents taking place on the Yamuna Expressway where, luckily, none of the travellers were affected.
Under the category of “minor accidents”, 190 such accidents were recorded in 2012; 286 in 2013; 288 in 2014; 315 in 2015; and 355 in 2016; reaching a total of 1,434 accidents that were termed as “minor” by YEDA. Under the category of “major accidents”, 54 were recorded in 2012; 217 in 2013; 182 in 2014; 210 in 2015; and 237 in 2016; reaching a total of 900 “major” accidents.
In February, The Sunday Guardian had done a ground report on the safety and security standards on the Yamuna Expressway and had reported that though YEDA was taking measures to control criminal activities on the Expressway, it was not putting in any efforts to control traffic violations (Yamuna Expressway becoming increasingly unsafe, 5 February). An official on the Expressway had then said, “The traffic police is severely understaffed. There are at least 4,000-5,000 traffic violations every day. But each toll plaza has barely 3-4 traffic constables to issue challans to the violators.” During ground inspection, this reporter witnessed that traffic constables were not present on the Expressway round-the-clock. When existing traffic constables took a break, no one would be there to check over-speeding.