Officials asked to launch road safety campaign

LUCKNOW: Transport minister Swatantra Dev Singh on Tuesday directed the authorities to launch a state-wide road safety campaign for a month with the support of the district administration, public representatives and the non-government organisations.

He was addressing a joint meeting of the transport department and the UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) here.

Expressing concern over growing number of road accidents and deaths, the minister asked officials to take all possible measures to deal with the situation. He said traffic rules with regard to the use of seat belts, helmets etc should be enforced strictly while at the same time awareness campaigns should also be launched with special focus on school children.

He said road safety hoardings be put up at public places and one km before toll plazas on the highways and expressways.

The minister asked the officials to ensure total ban on the operation of unauthorized, unfit and overloaded vehicles. He said state-wide drive against the overloading of trucks be planned and launched for a month. He also said that each block had to be connected to a bus service during the Kumbh. The minister issued warning to the regional manager, Etawah for ignoring fitness of buses and also pulled up the RTO, Baliia for being lax in road safety.

Among those present at the meeting were UPSRTC chairman Sanjiv Saran, principal secretary, transport, Aradhana Shukla and UPSRTC MD P Guruprasad.