Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 19 Aug: A meeting of the Road Safety Monitoring Committee was held here today under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary (CS) Anand Bardhan. The meeting reviewed the state of road safety, accident statistics, corrective measures at black spots and the functioning of district-level road safety committees. During the meeting, the CS directed the departments concerned to ensure better coordinated, effective and time-bound action to reduce accidents.
Bardhan emphasised on a scientific analysis of accident causes and stressed upon greater attention to road design, geometry and technical deficiencies. He instructed the officials to carry out corrective measures wherever road conditions or design are found to increase accident risks. He also directed the officials to prioritise road safety with regular audits of bus stations by designated teams and implementation of corrective suggestions.
During the meeting, the CS directed strict compliance with Supreme Court guidelines, enforcement of mandatory helmet use for two-wheeler riders and penal action against traffic violators. Transport and police departments were asked to regularly review enforcement measures. He also sought updates on earlier instructions regarding bamboo plantations, crash barriers and parapets on hill roads, and directed study of best practices from other states for adoption in Uttarakhand.
The CS directed road safety and third-party audits of the black spots and the accident-prone sites, with corrective action based on audit findings. He also directed the district-level road safety committees to hold meetings on schedule and upload proceedings on the portal. The Transport Secretary was asked to monitor routine safety tasks and coordinate with departments as required.
To enhance public awareness, he directed the organisation of sensitisation camps and joint workshops of police, health and transport departments on rescue operations. Road safety campaigns were to be conducted every two to three months in mission mode, supported by an annual publicity plan. CS instructed wide publicity of the Rahveer scheme and asked the Transport Department to provide lists of pending hit-and-run cases to district magistrates for review and disposal.
Bardhan also emphasised that reducing accidents requires simultaneous focus on enforcement, road engineering, vehicle and driver behaviour, public awareness and prompt medical response. Among those present at the meeting included Secretaries Ravinath Raman and Dr Ranveer Singh Chauhan and senior officers of related departments along with the district magistrates.
