Pile-up effect: Fog, accident warnings now at toll booths

The decision was taken in a meeting on Friday of senior police officials of at least two districts, Yamuna Expressway Authority officials and Jaypee Group representatives.

delhi pollution, car pile up, yamuna expressway accident, smog, indian express

Traffic policemen wear masks to protect themselves from heavy smog and air pollution while manning the traffic, in New Delhi on Wednesday. (PTI/Representational)

Two days after a video of cars ramming into one another amid thick smog on the Yamuna Expressway went viral, officials said that warnings about accidents and vehicle pile-ups, as well as fog condition on the expressway, will be announced at toll booths. The decision was taken in a meeting on Friday of senior police officials of at least two districts, Yamuna Expressway Authority officials and Jaypee Group representatives.

Between 8 am and 8.30 am on Wednesday, five vehicles rammed into each other near the eastern peripheral road, which was under construction. No casualty was reported. “Reflectors, blinkers and barricades had been set up but those were located around 50-100 metres from the site. In the meeting, it was decided that these be put up at least 500 metres away,” a senior government official said.

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Meanwhile, in order to provide information about any accident on the Yamuna Expressway to commuters, information about fog condition and visibility will be announced at toll plazas. “Toll plazas are under the Jaypee Group and on Wednesday, information about the incident was received first by them. Their control room relayed the information to the police control room and teams reached the spot.

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Jaypee also has infrastructure for quick response, such as ambulances and cranes, but they are usually stationed close to the toll plaza. There was discussion and agreement on positioning them at various other points,” said Suniti, SP RA, Gautam Buddha Nagar police.

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Other measures discussed in the meeting include the possibility of providing alerts about fog on Google Maps. “Issuing of challans in a more efficient manner will also take place,” Suniti said. On Wednesday morning, visibility had dipped to 10 metres when vehicles rammed into each other on various stretches of the Yamuna Expressway.

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