In a decisive response to a series of tragic accidents, police in Noida and Greater Noida have significantly ramped up safety measures on key expressways. The initiative aims to combat the heightened risk posed by dense winter fog, long-distance night driving, and driver fatigue.
Proactive Measures at Toll Plazas and Vulnerable Stretches
Special police pickets have been established at toll plazas and identified vulnerable sections of the Yamuna Expressway and the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE). Teams are stopping vehicles for brief interactions to assess the alertness of drivers. Officials revealed that motorists displaying signs of tiredness are being strongly advised to take immediate breaks. As a gesture of support, others are being offered tea and biscuits. In certain instances, officers are even suggesting drivers splash water on their faces to ward off dangerous episodes of "micro-sleep."
The crackdown comes in the wake of devastating crashes earlier this week. On Tuesday, 18 people lost their lives in a multi-vehicle pile-up on the Yamuna Expressway. Just a day before, multiple collisions on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and EPE, also attributed to poor visibility, resulted in six more fatalities and several injuries.
Targeting High-Risk Hours and Vehicles
Police authorities have pinpointed the hours between 3 am and 5 am as the most accident-prone period. "From around midnight, our teams are stopping drivers at pickets, advising them to rest and, if required, directing them to designated rest spots after the Jewar toll plaza or at nearby dhabas," explained ACP Greater Noida, Sarthak Sengar. Special monitoring is focused on high-traffic locations like the Jewar toll plaza.
DCP (Greater Noida) Saad Miya Khan emphasized that enforcement teams are paying particular attention to heavy and long-haul vehicles, which are more susceptible to fatigue-related incidents. He added that as fog conditions are expected to intensify, additional pickets will be deployed to minimize risks.
Safety Advisories and Enforcement Actions
Beyond checks, police are issuing on-the-spot safety advice, urging motorists to:
- Reduce speed significantly.
- Maintain adequate distance from the vehicle ahead.
- Use fog lights and indicators correctly.
Vehicles found without mandatory reflective tapes are being provided with them at the pickets. In an extreme measure, officials stated that during dense fog when visibility plunges below 50 metres, traffic on the Yamuna Expressway will be halted at designated facility centres, resuming only when conditions improve. This decision follows directives from the Supreme Court's Road Safety Management Committee.
Echoing the police action, the transport department has issued a public advisory, urging drivers to avoid non-essential travel during dense fog. The advisory stresses driving slowly, avoiding sudden braking, using low-beam headlights, and keeping windshields clear. It also reiterates the importance of regular breaks, strict lane discipline, and avoiding overtaking in poor visibility. Notably, speed limits on the EPE, Noida Expressway, and Yamuna Expressway were reduced for two months starting December 15.
Officials confirmed that all these preventive and enforcement measures will continue as long as foggy conditions persist across the region.
