Mangalore: At a district level road safety meeting held at the DC office in the city on Monday July 14, Deputy Commissioner A.B.Ibrahim  sought an explanation from gas companies on the measures taken by them to prevent accidents  caused by gas tankers.

He also wanted to know if the companies maintained  blacklist of tanker drivers who violate traffic rules. The DC raised the above questions in the backdrop of several accidents involving gas tankers which disrupt traffic and also inconveniences public.

An HPCL official who was present said  the drivers are being trained and there was even GPRS monitoring. A rescue team is also always on alert from Maani to Sakleshpuar in the event of an accidents. He further said there is a practice of cancelling the contracts if  any tanker driver erred or flouted traffic rules.

The explanation however did not satisfy  Additional DC Sadashiva Prabhu. The DC too directed gas companies to conduct awareness programmes  with the co-operation of local gram panchayats  along the route  where tankers operate.

Nagarika Hitharakshana Samithi leader G Hanumantha Kamath complained that the road widening at MHS Road and Bhavanthi Street has not been completed. The DC who took serious cognizance of the matter, rapped MCC officials who however said  the Nirmithi Kendra  has been asked to take up the work as  no one had come forward to take up the tenders.

Even representatives of autorickshaw drivers’ union said only 180 out of the total 300 autorickshaw stands demanded have been sanctioned and that even the sanctioned stands have not been constructed. He also pointed out that the city had only 70 stands are the over 300 autorickshaws.

Officials also informed the meeting that the  Shiradi Ghat would be closed for seven months from October 31 for the repair works

The DC directed the PWD and NHAI officials to hold a meet to discuss the alternate road arrangements during the closure of Shiradi Ghat.