Identify accident-prone districts, devise action plans: Yogi
Chief minister says road mishaps in UP claim nearly 26,000 lives annually, issues crucial directives to all departments involved in road safety
LUCKNOW Chief minister Yogi Adityanath convened a meeting of the State Road Safety Council on the first day of the new year and issued crucial directives to all departments involved in road safety. He noted that mishaps claim 25,000-26,000 lives annually, attributing these to a lack of awareness and urged effective implementation of Road Safety Month in all districts.

He emphasised that district road safety committees, chaired by district magistrates, must hold their meetings by January 5 and road safety awareness programmes initiated in schools and colleges from January 6-10. The CM also directed the deployment of additional Prantiya Rakshak Dal (PRD) personnel and Home Guards to ensure an efficient traffic management system during the Mahakumbh.
“Road Safety Month should be implemented effectively across all 75 districts, not just in Lucknow. Monthly road safety meetings should also be held at the district level, chaired by the DM and attended by key officials such as the SP or SSP, municipal commissioner, RTO, PWD officers, district school inspector, basic education officer and chief medical officer,” Adityanath said.
The state government will review the progress of these district-level initiatives every three months, the CM said.
He instructed officials to identify districts and locations prone to accidents as well as devise action plans to address the underlying causes and ensure their resolution.
The CM underscored the need to prevent minors from operating e-rickshaws and other vehicles and streamline the registration process for e-rickshaws.
Adityanath also called for a zero-tolerance policy towards overloading, directing officials to address this issue at the source. He noted that parked loaded vehicles on expressways and highways are a significant hazard and must be promptly removed using cranes. He urged the promotion of safety standards such as the use of helmets and seat belts through targeted awareness campaigns.
The CM directed that hoardings promoting road safety awareness issued by the departments of information, transport and road safety should be prominently displayed. And these hoardings should be installed across all 75 districts, 350 tehsils, 1,500 police stations and municipal bodies, he added.
“The public should be encouraged not to flee after witnessing an accident, but to assist the injured by transporting them to the nearest hospital or trauma centre within the critical golden hour. Additionally, efforts should be made to minimise ambulance response times to save lives,” he emphasised.
Adityanath proposed the establishment of road safety parks in every district, similar to road safety clubs in schools and colleges while also undersoring regular health checks for bus drivers, ensuring bus fitness, creating vending zones for hawkers, and removing illegal roadside stalls.
“Students should be actively involved in road safety awareness campaigns through activities such as dramas, music, poetry, essay writing, seminars, speeches and general knowledge competitions focused on traffic rules,” he said.
The chief minister called for a ban on modified silencers and horns in bikes to reduce noise pollution. Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak, urban development minister AK Sharma, transport minister Dayashankar Singh, and other officials attended the meeting.
