WRI awards: Top honours for Haryana Police, Karnataka State Transport Corporation

On day 1 of Connect Karo-2017, WRI awards were handed out to public and private agencies, individuals and even PPP initiatives, for their efforts to find solutions for urban problems.

On the theme ‘Rethinking Road Safety,’ the Connect Karo awards were handed out on Wednesday, Day 1 of Connect Karo—2017, which has been organised by World Resources Institute (WRI) India to find solutions to urban problems and push for building of more sustainable cities across India.

Actor Milind Soman hands over an award to Lalita Tukral of IAmGurgaon. (HT Photo)

The awards, which “seek to acknowledge bold, innovative and effective initiatives implemented by organisations striving to improve the safety of our roads and its users,” feted efforts by public agencies, private agencies, individuals and even Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives.

In the category of initiatives by a public agency, Karnataka State Transport Corporation was the winner for its workplace alcohol prevention programme and activity (WAPPA), driver duty rota system, chief minister’s gold medal award for accident free drivers and introduction of digital breathe analyser for safe travel, among others.

The runner up award went jointly to the multi-lane smart road initiative by Bhopal Smart City Development Corporation Limited and the road safety initiatives by BEST undertaking in Mumbai, which included experiments to reduce blind spots, modified mirrors in buses, driver training and crash investigation training, among others.

In the category of PPP initiatives, police assistance booths along National Highway 1 by Haryana Police and Honda got top honours.

In initiative by a private agency, ‘My Life In My Hands’ by IL&FS and Sparsh was declared winner. Runner up was ‘Road Accident Sampling System’ (RASSI) by JP Research.

“This on-site crash investigation and in-depth accident data collection programme conducted in co-operation with the police and ambulance agencies notify researchers about an accident. Researchers, on reaching the crash scene, collect data scientifically, and identify the factors that caused the accident and the resulting injuries. The analyses are reported to the government and industry to enable them to make data-driven decisions and come up with cost-effective measures to reduce accidents and injuries,” a WRI official said.

In initiative by civil society or individual, Bundh rejuvenation project by IAmGurgaon.