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Uttarakhand: Govt announces special action plan to prevent rising road accidents
Transport minister Chandan Ram Das issued directions for taking necessary action to improve the condition of roads and road safety scenario to prevent road accidents in the state
The Uttarakhand government on Friday announced a slew of measures to check road accidents and improve its safety in the state, including preparing a special action plan for the prevention of accidents on all roads, especially in hilly areas.
This development comes at a time when a tragic road accident in Nainital killed nine people on Friday.
Transport minister Chandan Ram Das issued directions for taking necessary action to improve the condition of roads and road safety scenario to prevent road accidents in the state.
Following the directions, chief secretary SS Sandhu issued various directions to all the district magistrates, secretaries concerned, chief engineers and other officers concerned.
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The chief secretary said this year till May, 659 road accidents occurred in the state in which 409 persons died and 594 persons were injured. He said this number is 14.61%, 17.87% and 26.33% more than the number of accidents/deaths/injured during the same period last year.
The chief secretary said that in respect of the roads under the control of the state, a clear action plan should be prepared and its timely implementation be ensured. “The progress of departmental works in this regard will be reviewed at the government level soon”, he said.
Sandhu said chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has expressed concern over the road accidents in the state.
“Instructions have been given to officers concerned to take immediate effective action to prevent accidents. The casualties due to accidents on mountain roads are comparatively higher as compared to roads in plain areas. By improving the condition of the roads, the risk of accidents and loss of life can be reduced. Therefore, there is a need to prepare a special action plan for the prevention of accidents on all roads and especially on mountain roads.
The chief secretary said that in the past, from time to time, State Road Safety Council constituted under the chairmanship of the transport minister, as well as in the meetings he had held, issues have been raised regarding road safety measures including setting up crash barriers on roads. “Accordingly, all the road construction units working in the state are again expected to take the following action on a priority basis for the prevention of accidents. They should also submit action taken report on a monthly basis to the state government”, he said.
The chief secretary said work related to the short-term and long-term measures required for the improvement of all the identified black spots should be completed as soon as possible by fixing the time limit.
“For the rectification of all accident-prone stretches, they should be identified in the most sensitive and sensitive category and action should be taken for their improvement on a priority basis”, he said.
Sandhu said while setting up crash barriers, compliance with the guidelines given in the audit conducted by the Supreme Court committee should be ensured. The location/length has been identified by the executing agencies for the installation of crash barriers in the past, he said.
“At such places/junctions where the roads at higher elevation meet roads at a lower elevation, speed-reducing measures must be taken. There are some places where accidents can be reduced even by doing only proper road marking. Hence, the road marking process on all the main roads of the state should also be completed on a priority basis”, he said.
Sandhu said it has been expected from time to time by the committee of the Supreme Court that road safety audits of all newly constructed roads and accident-prone sites should be conducted.
“However, in view of the lack of road safety auditors in the state, road safety audit of black spots and sensitive roads needs to be completed in the first phase and according to the suggestions given in the audit, further action should also be completed in a time-bound manner”, he said.
