BENGALURU: In August 2024, the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway recorded its lowest number of fatalities for the year, with only two deaths from ten accidents. This marks a significant drop from the previous month, where six deaths were reported from ten accidents, and a notable improvement from January, which saw 12 deaths in 14 accidents.
According to Karnataka’s Additional Director General of Police for Traffic and Safety, Alok Kumar, the reduction in fatalities is attributed to increased surveillance and improved safety measures. Despite the decrease in fatal accidents, Kumar emphasized that rash and distracted driving remains a major concern. “Saving 97 lives is worth the additional 15 minutes of travel time,” he stated.
In response to the high rate of accidents, the Karnataka police and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) have ramped up enforcement on the expressway. AI-driven cameras have been installed to monitor traffic violations, and a team of police officers will be stationed at the Kanimanike Toll Gate in Mysuru to manually issue fines to speeding drivers. Despite the use of ANPR cameras, some violators have not been paying their fines online, prompting the shift to manual collection.
There are also discussions about adopting US-style patrolling and increasing physical enforcement during peak holiday seasons to further reduce accidents and improve road safety.
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