Due to less availability of public transport and ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a surge in the number of cyclists in the National Capital.
The Delhi Police said that there has been a steep downfall in the number of road accidents this year but a new challenge has emerged following the rise in the number of cyclists and pedestrians.
According to Delhi Police data, around 243 pedestrians were killed from January 1 to July 31 this year in road accidents while 17 cyclists were also killed in the fatal road accident.
Police data also states that 193 fatal accidents involving scooter/bike fatal were reported in which 199 people lost their lives.
“This year from January 1 to July 31, around 2164 accidents have been reported in which 1908 persons were injured while 557 died,” said a senior police official.
“Around 78 accidents were from private cars in which 83 lives were lost in the city. Around 45 accidents were from offending vehicles such as 'Goods Carriers' in which 47 people were killed. Cluster buses running under Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) were involved in 10 fatal accidents leading to 10 deaths while DTC buses were involved in fatal accidents in which six people were killed,” as per Delhi Traffic Police data.
“Around eight fatal accidents were caused by tractors leading to nine deaths. Meanwhile, 262 unidentified vehicles were involved in road accidents this year in which 265 people lost their lives,” as per police data.
The police data also shows that around eight people were killed while riding e-rickshaws, while four cycle rickshaw pullers also became the victims of fatal accidents leading to four deaths.
A senior Delhi Traffic Police official, there are innumerable points of clash between cyclists and other motorists across the city.
“There is a constant conflict between them due to lack of space on the roads but police teams are doing our best by keeping the overall speed on the roads low by issuing thousands of fines,” said the senior Traffic Police official adding that they have been writing regularly to civic agencies to construct more rumble strips and reduce speed limits.
