The Punjab Government is all set to carry out a radical transformation in the road safety measures as per the changing times equipping the authorities concerned with the latest machines tools.
To begin with, the State Transport Department has decided to soon introduce ‘e-challaning machines’ which would be connected to the internet, purchase ‘breath alcohol analyzers’ to be connected with the e-challan application, buy equipment for monitoring speed on highways, among other measures.
“Punjab Government is keeping a specialised focus on the aspect of carrying out radical transformation in the road safety measures as per the changing times which is the need of the hour,” said the State Transport Minister Aruna Chaudhary while chairing a meeting of the Punjab State Road Safety Council on Tuesday.
She said ‘e-challaning machines’ will soon be introduced which would use the National Informatics Centre (NIC) software and would also be connected to the internet. This would lead to minimising the probability of corruption at the field staff level, she said.
The Minister said to tackle the menace of drunken driving which has been causing a large number of road accidents, ‘breath alcohol analyzers’ would be purchased and these would be independently connected with the e-challan application on the NIC server.
listing out over-speeding as one of the gravest problems leading to innumerable accidental deaths, Chaudhary elaborated that the equipment for the purpose of monitoring the speed of vehicles, especially on six-lane National Highways, would also be purchased.
The Minister also said the proposal to install speed measurement as well as the display boards at appropriate locations would be given thoughtful consideration.
Coming to the issue of overloading, she said that the automated weigh in bridges having connectivity with the NIC should be put up at the important points to check overloading, especially near sand or gravel quarries, and in case of any wrongdoing, the consignee must also be booked.
Chaudhary instructed that the highway patrol vehicles, police control room (PCR) vehicles must be fully equipped with the latest paraphernalia and all information with regard to the area where they are deputed in order to help out the people in distress. Various other issues discussed in the meeting included procurement of body cameras and accidental cutters.
Also, giving a clarion call for educating the common masses concerning the road safety measures, Chaudhary issued instructions that the guidelines in this regard must be strictly implemented. She also batted for the publication of a booklet detailing all information on the road safety aspect.