Chandigarh MP Kirron prefers close aides over experts in road safety panel

On Kher’s recommendations, Prabhloch Singh of the Human Rights Protection Group and MFP Federation, Mayank Mishra of Dr GC Mishra Memorial Educational and Charitable Trust and Sanjeev Vashisht of Sewa Bharti have been made members of the committee

Member of parliament Kirron Kher has preferred her close aides over technical experts in the newly constituted road safety committee for Chandigarh.

Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher. (File photo)

The committee has been formed under a mandate of the Union road transport and highways ministry issued through a gazette notification in September 2017. For Chandigarh, transport secretary Mandip Singh Brar issued the order of panel formation on January 14. It is entrusted with the task of monitoring road accidents data, identification and study of causes of road accidents, rectification of black spots and creating awareness about road safety.

On Kher’s recommendations, Prabhloch Singh of the Human Rights Protection Group and MFP Federation, Mayank Mishra of Dr GC Mishra Memorial Educational and Charitable Trust and Sanjeev Vashisht of Sewa Bharti have been made members of the committee.

All three have been associated with the MP and were part of her core team during the previous general elections.

In addition to the three NGO members, the committee also comprises UT officials, including deputy commissioner, mayor, transport director, and senior superintendent of police.

However, questioning the intent behind Kher’s recommendations, senior Congress leader and former Chandigarh MP Pawan Kumar Bansal said, “Kher should have nominated road safety experts like city-based Harman Sidhu of the ArrriveSafe NGO to the committee who can contribute actively and positively to Chandigarh’s road safety measures. Then it would not have mattered if the person was a close aide of the MP or not.”

The terms of reference of the committee include monitoring road safety activities in Chandigarh, road accidents data, identification and study of causes of mishaps, providing suggestions to the national/state road safety council, reviewing and monitoring work related to identification and rectification of black spots as per protocol and all road engineering measures, besides ensuring implementation of road safety standards and action plan with specific targets for accident/fatality reduction.

The panel would also review speed limits and traffic calming measures to promote road safety campaign in the city.