Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari said that the central government has set a target to reduce road accidents and resultant deaths by 50 percent in the country before the year 2024. This target can be met only when there is sensitivity and awareness among the citizens about the provisions of the Traffic Rules and Motor Vehicle Act. Cooperation of social institutions, students, public representatives, administration and media is essential to meet this target.

The goal can be achieved successfully, if road safety is given the form of a mass movement. Those sitting here today should take a pledge that they too will follow the traffic rules before convincing others and try to make Indore free from road accidents.

Gadkari was addressing the programme “Hamara Sankalp – Sadak Suraksha” organized by Jan Aakrosh Social Sanstha Group at Ravindra Natya Griha in Indore today. Member of Parliament Shri Shankar Lalwani, MLA Shri Ramesh Mendola, newly elected Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava, founder, secretary and members of Jan Aakrosh Sanstha Nagpur and Indore Branch along with public representatives were present.

Gadkari said that about 5 lakh road accidents occur every year in which more than 1.5 lakh people die. 70 percent of the dead are in the age group of 18 to 40 years. This not only causes social loss but also 3 percent GDP loss. To reduce this social and economic loss, road accidents must be averted.

He said that I am fully confident that just like Indore has set an example in cleanliness to the whole country, it will present an exemplary model of awareness of traffic rules in the entire country by becoming number one in reducing road accidents.

The Union Minister said that it is essential for us to adopt the ‘5-E’ model, to reduce road accidents. The first thing to be considered in this is road engineering. To eliminate the black spots on the national highway, a scheme is being started by the Central Government in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to provide a fund of Rs 15 thousand crore to the state governments.

Many works have already been done in this direction, due to which the black spot is being eliminated. In second-E comes Vehicle Engineering. New Car Assessment Programme Star Rating has been started in India to make crash tests mandatory for vehicles. Similarly, the facility of air bags has also been made mandatory in luxury and economic vehicles.

Enforcement and education comes in third-e and fourth-e, traffic rules should be fully followed and people should be aware of these rules, then only can road accidents be prevented.

Health emergency comes in fifth-e. If the initial four-Es are being followed properly, then by controlling the fifth E health emergency, road accidents can be prevented to a great extent. If road accidents still occur, then in health emergency, the facility of organ transplant should also be improved for such persons who are not likely to survive the accident. Union Minister Shri Gadkari said that Janakrosh Sanstha is starting a commendable initiative in this direction, everyone’s cooperation is necessary to make this initiative successful.

Road accidents can be prevented by being aware of traffic rules

Member of Parliament Shri Shankar Lalwani said that many highway projects are being implemented in Madhya Pradesh under the leadership of Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari. In this, widening of roads and construction of bridges is being done. For the success of these projects, it is necessary that the residents of the district also follow the traffic rules. Road accidents can be prevented by being aware of traffic rules.

Mayor Shri Pushyamitra Bhargava said that disorderly traffic can be frustrating and cause anger. In order to give right direction to this anger, an innovative initiative has been taken by Jan Aakrosh Sanstha which will give a new direction to the traffic system of Indore. Indore will become number one in road safety like cleanliness. All public representatives will cooperate with the organization for the fulfillment of this resolution.