SURAKSHIT INDORE………be safe on road

It was a Saturday morning and we were just enjoying a lazy weekend. Suddenly SMS beeps in our mobile phones. Expecting a usual “Amazon or Flipkart sale intimation, I happily pushed myself to check but got terrified.

SMS read, “Dear ADXXXXXXXX, file your ITR for AY 2023-24 at www.incometax.gov.in, before due date of 31st July 2023. Avoid last day rush. Ignore if already filed. IT Dept.”

Good lord, I just missed it. Me and my husband hurriedly started collecting the documents and called up our investment manager to update us immediately. We frantically called up at least 10 times and by afternoon, the phone was answered by one of his cousin in a shrilling voice, “Bhaiya met with a serious accident last night that resulted in severe head injury. He has been admitted in a hospital. He is in Coma and in ICU”.

We were devastated!!! With so many questions; How, Why, where???but no one to answer back. Anxiety level soared high that moment as we discussed about his wife, old parents and two toddlers to take care.

We rushed to the hospital and tried to console the family members. Out of anger, anxiety and tremendous stress, I started shouting of the city roads and the pathetic traffic sense. Our friend was driving back home on a bike and a car hit him from behind. It was a hit and run case.

It seems that human life has no value.

We travel to our respective job locations and witness the traffic sense getting bad to worse.

I would like to reiterate few incidents which seem to be self-invitation by us, be it a man, woman, adolescents, elderly…. everyone is party to it. Everyone seems to be in a hurry…for what??? No clue…. we are just rushing.

Pedestrians feel proud in crossing the road when the signal is GREEN…gosh! As if they misunderstood the GREEN signal which was not for them.

Teenagers and College students are flying (with no driving license) to reach the class at the last minute which is more of an adrenaline booster, which becomes a double dose without a helmet. Shine of a shampooed hair style is more important than your own safety.

I have been observing since years, that girl power is taking utmost care of their skin tanning and air pollution. Entire face is covered with 2 eyes barely popping out for a road vision. Great effort. Wearing a helmet doesn’t go well with a women’s personality while the life is at stake. ?

Parents took loans to buy cycles, bikes or a Kinetic but forgot to guide and train their children about the traffic rules and their safety. ?

Local administration with lot of efforts have made road dividers for our safety. But for us jumping across the dividers directly on the busy main road is urgent because it saves lot of time. True…. with this the face to face meeting with Almighty will be super-fast.

I recall my accident 5 years back, a bull jumped on the bonnet of my lean Maruti 800 and fell on the ground. Bull was in a hurry to cross the road and hence decided to jump through the dividers, he must have been inspired by humans. God saved me since I was wearing seat belt and my Maruti 800 was kind enough to take the entire jolt on herself.

Driving through a wrong side has become a daily practice in Indore. Heavy vehicles, buses, speeding cars and bikes coming from a wrong side is life threatening. Every individual is in a hurry. I wonder how can an individual forget about his near and dear ones who would be affected emotionally and financially if anything goes wrong.?

I believe with the technology advancements in automobile industry, people look forward to own an automatic vehicle which is sky rocket the moment you give an ignition. We want to enjoy the expensive vehicle on full speed irrespective of the fact that it might land us in heaven on the very first day.

To conclude, I wish that we should be sensitive enough towards ourselves and for others as well. We need to follow traffic rules in terms of wearing helmets, seat belts and driving on an optimum speed. Your own safety would be a safety for others and no one will be deprived of their loved ones.

?It’s time for Indoreans to pledge “SURAKSHIT BHARAT” and become a role model nationally.