NH-16 accident sparks safety concerns, focuses on bikers’ poor lane discipline

Bhubaneswar: The tragic accident on NH-16 at the flyover near Fire Station Square on Saturday, which claimed three lives, has once again raised concerns over movement of heavy vehicles within city limits during peak hours and poor lane discipline by two-wheeler riders.According to police, the victims, including two men and a young woman riding separate motorcycles, were allegedly hit by a heavy vehicle and were killed on the spot. The mishap occurred on the high-speed lane of the national highway, which is primarily meant for trucks and long-distance heavy vehicles.“From what we saw, the bikes were moving on the extreme right, fast-moving lane. A heavy vehicle came from behind and rammed into them. It all happened in a matter of seconds. Had they been riding in their own lane, which is to the extreme left of the road, they might have saved their own lives,” said Bidyadhar Jena, an eyewitness to the incident.Another local resident, Ritesh Kumar, added that the flyover, which runs parallel to NH-16 in the city limits, has become fraught with risk. “Two-wheelers often use the wrong lane, and trucks enter the city even during busy hours. Night coaches and local buses also add to the issues on the highway,” he said.Police pointed to a combination of unsafe lane use and possible overspeeding. “As per initial findings, the two-wheelers were on the high-speed lane, which is restricted for light vehicles. We are verifying CCTV footage from the area to establish the exact sequence of events,” said deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Tapan Mohanty.Traffic officials added that movement of heavy vehicles inside the city is regulated but violations are common. “There are time restrictions for trucks entering city stretches of NH-16. However, enforcement becomes challenging when drivers flout rules. We will step up checks and take strict action,” they said.Officials from the transport department said safety concerns exist along urban stretches of national highways. “City portions of NH-16 carry mixed traffic like heavy vehicles, cars and two-wheelers. Lack of lane discipline, especially by bikers using fast lanes, significantly increases the risk of fatal accidents,” said a transport official.In the meantime, police have launched a manhunt to trace heavy vehicles involved in the Saturday incident, which fled the spot. “There should be stricter enforcement of heavy vehicle entry timings, clearer signage on flyovers, and sustained awareness drives on lane discipline,” urban planner Dipu Nanda said.