AGARTALA, AUGUST 3 (TIWN): The number of road accidents is scaling new heights in Tripura. Statistics stated by union Home Ministry’s National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 716 accident cases were reported in Tripura in 2014 and of which 188 were dead. In 2014, the north-eastern states recorded 9,885 traffic accident cases. Out of these, 7,825 cases were in Assam alone. Meghalaya 301 cases, Mizoram (95), Manipur (735), Nagaland (39), Arunachal Pradesh (112) and Sikkim (62) cases were reported. In the year 2013, Tripura registered 226 accidental deaths, NCRB stated. During the years (2009-10 and 2010-11) as many as 1748 road accidents took place that killed 453 persons. A total of 2573 persons were injured in the same period. In 2012, 291 persons were killed in 1015 road accidents.

The data revealed that the 9,885 traffic accidents had caused 4,037 deaths, the maximum being in Assam with 3,212.  Age old manual traffic management system is still being practiced on the streets and highways Tripura where almost every city of the country has put electronic and automated control systems in place but Agartala being the second most happening state of North east (NE) India, the state authorities are yet to be decisive on the aforesaid issue. No wonder, the advent and materialisation of technology has made number of effective tools like the Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) and Automated Traffic Enforcement System (ATES). ATMS field is a primary subfield within the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) domain. The ATMS view is a top-down management perspective that integrates technology primarily to improve the flow of vehicle traffic and improve safety.  

A total of 401 road accidents cases were registered during January to June 2014 while it has gone down to only 292 from January to June, 2015. The conclusive conclusion, therefore, stands at nearly fifty (rounded off to next integer) accidents a month.

Altogether 97 death cases were registered during January to June in 2014 and a total of 703 persons injured in the road mishaps. The death toll has gone down to 71 while the number of injured persons also registered a sharp decline. Sources report that the road accidents gave the police in Tripura a tough time in 2012. Almost 70 per cent of the police force was concentrated on keeping roads and women safe and hassle free.

According to reports of the state transport department, 1,018 road accidents were reported in 2012, which claimed 293 lives and left 1,387 injured. Unfortunately, out of the total injured, 52, including six children, have become crippled for life and over 345 are confined to their homes.