Auditor General's Office has recommended to widen Addu City's link road and to allocate a separate lane for two-wheeled vehicles.
A performance review report prepared by the office on the accidents that occur on the link road stated that although statistics show most accidents occur due to speeding, the fact that the same lane is used by motorcycles, pickups, and cars lead to dangerous accidents. Therefore, it is recommended to extend the width of the link road and allocate an additional lane especially for two-wheeled vehicles, said the report.
While the number of people who use the link road for recreational purposes such as speed walking and exercise is increasing, the lack of pavement on the link road also leads to accidents. The likelihood of accidents also increases with the increased use of bicycles and tourists on the road due to the expanding guesthouse business in the city, mentioned in the report.
The report further said while the link road has several bends and turns, accidents occur more frequently in these areas. However, no speed breakers nor warning signs are installed near these areas, noted in the report.
In the report it is recommended several actions that could decrease the frequency of accidents that occur on the link road, including repairing potholes and installing street lamps. It further advised bringing changes to the traffic speed limits for residential areas, noting that a sufficient and sustainable traffic monitoring system was not in place.
While 91 accidents occurred on the link road between 2010 and April 2019, 19 accidents took place from 2013 until 2019, Audit Office noted in the report. Over MVR 1.4 million was incurred to transport those injured in accidents between 2014 to 2019, and over MVR 900,000 was spent to charter flights to transport patients injured in accidents, further noted in the report.
