In a first, transport dept to observe road safety month from Jan 18

LUCKNOW: In a first, Uttar Pradesh will observe the ‘road safety month’ from January 18 to February 17 instead of conventional ‘road safety week’ to sensitise all stakeholders on safer road mobility.

The ministry of road transport and highways has written a letter to states communicating them the decision on observance of the ‘national road safety’ month from January 18 with ‘Sadak Suraksha-Jeevan Raksha’ as the theme for this year.

“We have received a letter from the Union ministry of transport and highways informing us that instead of the road safety week, a month-long programme will be observed this year,” transport commissioner, Dheeraj Sahu said adding “We are planning a series of activities to take up during the period to raise public awareness about the importance of the safer use of roads.”

The ministry in its letter has observed that it is a matter of great concern that around 1.50 lakh people lose their lives every year in India due to road accidents and many more suffer debilitating injuries causing immense economic hardship and emotional trauma to the affected families.

It said there was an urgent need to make our roads safer because the loss of lives and limbs cannot be accepted as an inevitable consequence of mobility.

“The Central and the state governments have been implementing various measures to make our roads safer. But the magnitude and gravity of the problem is such that these steps alone will not suffice. There is a need for the society at large to take cognizance of the issue and make road safety awareness the mass movement,” the ministry observed in the letter.

The ministry has told states to ask the district collectors to get in touch with the Members of Parliament in order to solicit their convenience for scheduling a meeting of the revamped district road safety committee during the month.

The states have been asked to send an action taken report to the Centre after the National Road Safety Month was observed.

Sahu said even the NHAI and the toll operators were also being made the part of the drive for the first time.

THE STATES HAVE BEEN ASKED TO SEND AN ACTION TAKEN REPORT TO THE CENTRE AFTER THE NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY MONTH WAS OBSERVED.