Mumbai, Aug. 20 -- More than 60% of the people who died in accidents on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway (NH-48), between Dahisar and Ashad in Palghar, from January till July this year were pedestrians, a survey conducted by the Mira-Bhayander-Vasai-Virar (MBVV) traffic police has found. The 38-kilometre stretch of the highway, which falls under the jurisdiction of the MBVV police, saw 47 deaths linked to road accidents from January-July this year. Among the deceased, 24 were pedestrians, and most of them were killed between 4pm and 10pm while crossing the highway, said Mahesh Shyete, senior police inspector (traffic), Virar. Sources in MBVV police said the survey was initiated after 13 people died and 17 others were injured in a head-on collision in May between a container truck and a tempo plying on the wrong side of NH-48 near Dhaniware in Palghar. The survey found that from January till July this year, 47 people died in road crashes on the 38-km stretch, which had at least 12 black spots. Among the 47 fatalities, 23 people died on Mira Road to Tungareshwar Phata stretch that falls under the Vasai traffic division; of these 23, 11 were pedestrians and six were two-wheeler riders or pillion riders. The NH-48 stretch between Vasai and Ashad in Palghar, which falls under the Virar traffic division, recorded 24 deaths; 13 among them were pedestrians. Traffic police officers said that there are hundreds of small-scale industries along the 38-km stretch which mostly employ local residents. "Since there are no skywalks and pedestrian crossings in most places, people are forced to cross the highway amid heavy traffic, leaving them vulnerable," a traffic police officer said, requesting anonymity. Most of the accidents during the survey period occurred because vehicles did not follow the speed limit or lane discipline and because the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which maintains the highway, did not take enough remedial measures, traffic police officers said. "We have asked the NHAI several times to build more user-friendly foot over bridges and clear encroachments on service roads so that drivers do not travel on the wrong side. We have also urged them to install thermoplastic rumblers, blinkers, signboards and median dividers that are at least four feet tall so that pedestrians cannot cross over. Yet, the NHAI has not taken the necessary measures," said the officer quoted earlier. In the first week of August, the MBVV traffic police submitted the survey report to the NHAI. Suhas Chitnis, Project Director, NHAI said they had received the report from the MBVV traffic police and efforts were underway to address the underlying issues. "A new agency has been appointed to implement safety measures in accident-prone areas along the highway. Through this agency, rumbler strips, directional signage, and reflectors will be installed. Additionally, work to increase the height of the median dividers will commence shortly," Chitnis said....