Jamshedpur, May 4: Rinki Kumari, a first-year student of Jamshedpur Women’s College , was planning to head for the hills this summer. But now she is in a state of shock. A fortnight ago, she lost her father, mother and her only brother in an accident at Adityapur.

Around the same time last year, Ramesh Thakur, a Public Health Engineering Department official, lost both his sons in an accident on the Adityapur-Kandra road. The official’s wife lost her mental balance and family is now in tatters.

Four of a Sonari-based family were killed when their car met with an accident on the highway in February this year. The lone survivor was a three-year-old girl. Late last night, Manjit Singh, a resident of Baradwari, lost his wife and daughter when the motorbike they were travelling on skidded off the road and a speeding tanker crushed the mother and the child on the Sakchi-Bistupur road near Sacred Heart Convent School.

Manjit Singh and his 12-year-old son were admitted to the Tata Main Hospital and released this morning.

The rising number of road accidents has left many broken families in the city. Gross absence of discipline on the road is taking its toll on the city’s social fabric. A lonely father, a distraught mother or a dazed child serve as mute reminders that things are “dreadfully wrong” on the traffic front. As killer roads snap family bonds, people are gradually waking up to the need of “generating road safety awareness from within the society” rather than blaming the traffic police, which faces manpower and infrastructure crunch.

“The spurt in road accidents, especially those claiming several lives, is a pointer to the need for greater discipline on road,” says general manager, town services, Tata Steel, Sanjiv Paul.

“We (Tata Steel) have been making contant efforts to ensure a smooth flow of traffic by widening roads, but this alone cannot stop accidents. People have to wake up to individual reponsibilities and work together to make the roads safer,’’ he added.

Paul, who is also a part of governing body of SAFE (Safety Awareness for Everyone), an organisation for creating safety awareness in the city, also advocates deployment of greater number of traffic police at strategic points.

“Something concrete, like a joint effort by corporate houses and the district administration, must be done to bring discipline on roads,” said G.M. Sharan, general manager, community development and social welfare, Tisco.

He feels that an action plan must be prepared on the basis of a survey by the corporate bosses and the civil administration so that road mishaps can be controlled.

B.L. Raina, managing director, Tinplate Company of India Limited, is also concerned about the rising trend in road mishaps in and around the steel city. While claiming that the road mishaps are caused by careless driving, he stressed on discipline and focus.

“Speed limit and use of safety appliances are the important aspects for accident-free rides. People must be made aware on these aspects effectively,” said Raina, adding that a public movement should be launched to prevent families from being ruined.

On his part, deputy superintendent of police (traffic) Jitendra Mishra feels that it is time for all and sundry to respect the rules of the roads for safety. “The number of automobiles has increased and in a disproportionate way. The number of two-wheelers has gone up manifold compared to the number of trucks and trailers plying on the roads. In such a situation, two-wheeler riders have to be much more cautious while driving on the road and the need of the hour is to launch a joint campaign,” he said.,

Transport minister Madhav Lal Singh, also worried over the spate of accidents, said “The people must be taught how to follow the language of the roads and national highways. The more it is followed, the safer we are.”