Hyderabad: A stalled truck on the Hyderabad–Vijayawada highway could now trigger a faster response, with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) deciding to deploy additional patrol vehicles and cranes at 30-km intervals along the 181.5-km stretch.
The move comes after a series of crashes involving vehicles stranded or parked on the highway, including the Aug 26 accident near Dorakunta on the outskirts of Kodad, in which six people were killed. With one patrol vehicle having to cover up to 60 km in one direction, and as much as 120 km when both directions are taken into account, responding quickly to a breakdown or accident can be difficult. On receiving an alert through the highway emergency number 1033, the team will reach the spot, help clear traffic and take necessary action.
Suryapet collector Tejas Nandalal Pawar pointed out that the existing deployment was inadequate to monitor the entire stretch effectively and suggested increasing the number of patrol vehicles so that broken-down or dangerously parked vehicles could be identified and moved before they resulted in further crashes.
NHAI officials said the additional vehicles would enable more frequent patrolling and quicker intervention when vehicles are found stranded on the highway. The accident took place after a private travel bus, allegedly travelling at high speed, collided with a truck carrying iron pillars that had stopped on the highway after hitting a divider near Dorakunta. The accident highlighted the risk posed by heavy vehicles remaining on the carriageway following breakdowns or crashes, particularly on the busy Hyderabad–Vijayawada route. After the accident, NHAI officials raised the issue of increasing the number of patrol vehicles. The patrol vehicles will have a driver, marshal and helper. Cranes will be used to move accident-damaged or broken-down vehicles away from the carriageway.
The additional ambulance will have a driver and an emergency medical technician (EMT). It will be used to provide immediate assistance to injured persons and transport them to the nearest hospital for further treatment.