News Desk: Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary virtually chaired the meeting of State Road Safety Council with all the stakeholders and other departments.
The Minister directed them to take steps to control and reduce road accidents and resultant fatalities to save precious lives. The Minister called upon the stakeholders to involve local community volunteers to save the lives of accident victims by providing necessary help during the golden hour. In this regard, the DTOs have already started engaging local youth and train them as Path Suraksha Mitra.
It may be noted that road fatalities in the State are on a declining trend since January and the Minister emphasized strict enforcement to further bring down the numbers. For the first time, road accident fatalities has seen a decline of 8 percent from January to March 2020 as compared to the same period of 2019. Likewise, road accident fatalities declined by 27 percent from January to June, 2020 as compared to the same period of 2019. From April to June there was a decline of 51 percent; however, this was more due to lockdown.
Minister Patowary asked the Health Department to strengthen trauma care facilities, Police, and enforcement officials to conduct extensive drives against traffic violations especially over speeding, drunken driving, and underage driving. The road owning agencies – NHAI, NHIDCL, and PWD were also directed to install proper signages and take up all traffic calming measures, especially in accident vulnerable areas and black spots.
Since the highest number of accidents have occurred on National Highways and in districts of Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup (Rural), Barpeta, Nagaon, and Goalpara, the Transport Minister directed the respective DTOs to take all necessary road safety measures.
Regional Officer, NHAI assured the State Road Safety Council that flyover construction work at Lokhra, Basistha, Boragaon, and Garchuk on Guwahati bypass would commence by December 2020. Flyover work at Kathiatoli, Borghat Rotary, Demow and Raha (Nagaon District), Road over Bridge at Jagiroad (Morigaon District), two flyovers near Bongaigaon Refinery would commence by October 2020.
The Road Safety Council decided that the Lead Agency on Road Safety would be strengthened by providing full-time staff from all stakeholders departments. The Lead Agency would engage technical consultants and knowledge partners to collect and analyze scientific data on accidents and establish a Road Accident Data Management System. The Agency would also provide necessary road safety equipment and conduct intensive awareness campaigns to bring mass awareness on road safety, traffic rules, and safety measures.
Meanwhile, the Transport Department has already started the process of filling up vacancies so that sufficient staff is available to ensure enforcement of motor vehicle laws and road safety in the State.
Dr. KK Dwivedi, Commissioner, and Secretary, Transport Department; Adil Khan, Commissioner of Transport, and other senior officials were present in the virtual Road Safety Council meeting today.