Mishaps galore due to lack of truck terminals on NH-16

The Visakhapatnam Rural police say that they are now putting up ‘No-Parking’ boards at various places after a series of incidents.
The Visakhapatnam Rural police say that they are now putting up ‘No-Parking’ boards at various places after a series of incidents.
The Visakhapatnam Rural police say that they are now putting up ‘No-Parking’ boards at various places after a series of incidents.

VISAKHAPATNAM: Lack of proper parking facilities on NH-16 in rural areas has been forcing lorry drivers to park their vehicles on the roadside in Visakhapatnam district. The long-pending issue has eventually became a nightmare for motorists and other vehicles. A number of accidents are being reported due to this.

On August 6, a couple died while their two-year-old son and their friend were severely injured when the SUV in which they were travelling lost control and rammed a stationary lorry from behind near Nakapalli area. The accident took place when the victim, who was driving the SUV, lost control over the vehicle and crashed into the lorry. This is not the only case, every month, a number of fatal & non-fatal accidents are reported. Various parts of the Anakapalle-Payakaraopeta stretch of about 65 km witnesses lorry parking. Lorries are parked on the roadside near Nakkapalle, Addu Road, Yellamanchili, Kasimkota, Anakapalle Rural and a few other areas.

As per the norms, except at petrol bunks, dhabas (if they have designated parking places) or dedicated truck terminals, lorries should not be parked on highways. Lorry drivers blame it on lack of truck terminals.  “There are no designated truck terminals in the district. On some stretches, if there is an extended road, we just park to attend nature’s call. Not only in the district, there are no truck terminals even in the city limits, except for a few parking places at Auto Nagar,” said M Raju, a lorry driver from Gajuwaka.

The Visakhapatnam Rural police say that they are now putting up ‘No-Parking’ boards at various places after a series of incidents. “The campaign started in the Nakkapalle police station limits and will be implemented in other areas also. Speed limits have also been imposed,” said a senior police officer from the district. According to sources, the truck terminal proposals are gathering dust for various reasons.

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