Chief Minister Raghubar Das has called for a collective approach to make Jharkhand an accident-free State by 2022. He was addressing a programme on ‘Road Safety Awareness and Best Practices’ organised by Transport Department in collaboration with All India Federation of Motor Vehicle Department Technical Executive Officer’s Association.
Starting with spreading awareness on road safety among the students by conducting innovative awareness programmes, the CM advised the officials present on the occasion to introduce a lesson on traffic rules while covering all prospects of road safety in school course curriculum to sensitize the young generation about the same.
“Considering the safety and to make Jharkhand ‘Accident Free’ State, Department of Transport must ensure to conduct awareness drive at educational institutions to avert accident cases. Also, imparting traffic regulations among youths will aid in making them a better citizen. Suggestions of introducing lessons on traffic rules in schools will also prove helpful,” said the CM.
Meanwhile, the CM also asked the officials to focus and take into consideration the wellbeing of pedestrians and bicycle riders whose number are quite high while chalking out any new traffic plan. “All necessary arrangements for the pedestrians must be ensured by the officials as the responsibilities of their safety too lie upon us,” the CM further added.
Sharing several measures with the participants who attended the programme, the CM on the occasion said as soon as an individual will begin following the traffic rules, the percentage of road accidents recorded annually will decline to a considerable rate. Keeping just not the safety of an individual who drives recklessly on roads putting his/her lives at risks but also other public lives at risk must always keep in mind that live is precious.
“The vacuum can never be filled up in any family who had lost their member of family in road accident. One must think about their families before violating traffic rules. Also, abiding by the rules will make each individual a better person and a good citizen. As a learned person, it should be our responsibility to act wisely; we should not give others opportunity to tell us about traffic rules,” the CM pointed out.
The CM quoted that several steps have been taken up in the recent times by the Central Government as well as the State Government to avert road accidents. Meanwhile, if latest figures are taken into account, road accident cases have been declined up to 17.5 per cent in the financial year 2017-18 in comparison to the previous fiscal year 2016-17.
Instruction of conducting meeting with the school principals at a gap of regular interval have been suggested by the CM to the officials of Department of Transportation. Taking the discussion ahead, officials of the respective departments have been asked to regularly follow-up the cases while compelling the school managements to expel all those errant students who come to school on two-wheelers without wearing helmets.
Also, suggestions of cancelling driving licenses of drunkard school drivers who are caught by traffic police along with expulsion of transport licence poured in during a daylong seminar for building up pressure upon each section of society to follow traffic regulations.
Apart, suggestions and rounds of discussion covering different facets on road safety, Minister Urban Housing, Planning and Transportation, CP Singh instructed the officials to deal with public politely by being sensitive so that they adhere to the rules contentedly. “Traffic police must avoid harassing public for better outcome,” said Singh.