UP signs MoU with IIT-Kharagpur to tackle road accidents; Yogi launches new transport services

Yogi digitally laid the foundation stone for six new modern bus stations to be developed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model

Lucknow: Road accidents claim more lives in a year than COVID did in three years in the state, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said on Saturday while digitally inaugurating new transport services in Lucknow.

Road accidents claim more lives in a year than COVID did in three years in the state, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said (ANI)

A road safety Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between the transport department and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur in his presence. “IIT-Kharagpur could help the state adopt technology-based solutions to reduce accidents and fatalities,” Yogi said.

The new transport services include a transport helpline and an additional facility for people availing various Regional Transport Office (RTO) services through common service centres in villages. He also digitally laid the foundation stone for six new modern bus stations to be developed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

Addressing the gathering, Yogi said that road safety has become a major challenge in Uttar Pradesh with rising accidents and fatalities. “Ensuring safe travel for every road user is the legal and moral responsibility of the authorities,” he added.

The recent ‘Road Accidents in India 2023’ report shows that UP lost 23,652 lives in 2023 — the highest in India.

Yogi said both the Centre and the Supreme Court had repeatedly flagged concerns over road safety, but a lack of awareness among road users and poor coordination between agencies hindered progress. “We can easily bring down road accidents below the national average by spreading awareness and strictly enforcing road safety rules,” he added.

He also directed officials to scrap government vehicles that had outlived their utility and urged people to avail themselves of benefits under the scrappage policy to dispose of old vehicles. He emphasised promoting electric buses.

Yogi also released a booklet for International Driving Permits (IDPs) on Saturday.

Highlighting the employment potential of the sector, Adityanath said transport and urban development alone could generate three lakh jobs by connecting villages and cities through bus services. He asked the UP State Road Transport Corporation to set an example by offering world-class buses and bus stations.