CM holds VC with DC, SP & Officials from the Transport & Excise Depts regarding Road Safety

Dispur, December 24: Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma held a video conference today with District Commissioners, Police Superintendents, and officials from the Transport and Excise Departments at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Dibrugarh. The meeting focused on reviewing road accidents in the state, enforcing road safety regulations, and assessing measures taken by the Transport and Police Departments to mitigate such incidents.

During the meeting, the Transport and Police Departments provided insights into the causes of road accidents across different districts, including incidents involving driving under the influence of alcohol in Guwahati. The CM emphasised that stringent actions be taken statewide by 15 January 2025 to prevent driving after consuming alcohol, particularly after 10 PM. He also instructed the concerned departments to ensure adequate lighting at foot over-bridges and flyovers. The meeting also addressed the issue of accidents on rural roads. He directed the Chief Secretary to ensure the installation of speed breakers at locations such as schools, hospitals, and police stations. He mandated the construction of two speed breakers within every kilometer of rural roads, emphasising that their placement and design should be determined in consultation with the local villagers. He also urged the Chief Secretary to ensure the publication of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for this initiative and highlighted the importance of incorporating street lights, speed breakers, and signboards into road construction projects.

Dr. Sarma issued special instructions to the Police Superintendents of border districts regarding the entry of vehicles. He stressed the need for roadside eateries (dhabas) along national highways to provide proper parking facilities and prohibited the parking of trucks in front of these establishments. He directed the Chief Secretary to ensure that district commissioners and police superintendents enforce these guidelines. In an effort to enhance public awareness of road safety regulations issued by the government, the Chief Minister instructed the relevant authorities to broadcast this information through digital platforms in multiple languages. He also urged preventive measures to stop vehicles from departing for picnic spots before dawn and mandated authorities to take action against drivers under the influence of alcohol. He emphasized the importance of adequate police surveillance at picnic spots and maintaining cleanliness at these locations. Furthermore, he called for the involvement of district commissioners to ensure that warning signs are installed in hazardous areas and that human resources are properly managed. It was also made mandatory for district commissioners to display road safety videos at government meetings, with instructions to the Chief Secretary to gather information on which districts have not implemented this directive and take corrective action in the present year.

The Chief Minister underlined the need for vision tests for drivers and instructed the Chief Secretary to take the necessary steps to facilitate eye examinations for drivers. Regarding the Excise Department, he called for a review of the hours during which bars are permitted to remain open and the standardization of these hours across the year.

Dr. Sarma also focused on raising public awareness regarding road safety, stressing the role of Bihu committees in promoting road safety through videos or plays. He reiterated that, due to the government’s efforts, 420 lives could be saved in 2024 compared to 2023, attributing this success to the collective efforts of all departments. He also noted that many cities in the state still lack street lighting and instructed that the installation of street lights in ten major cities should be approved within the next month. He urged the Chief Secretary to ensure the full implementation of the SOPs prepared by the state government and shared with District Commissioners, Police Superintendents, and the Transport Department. He also directed Superintendents of Police, District Commissioners, and District Transport Officials to hold meetings and coordinate with Officers-in-charge, Circle Officers, and Motor Vehicle Inspectors (MVI) respectively to ensure the successful implementation of these directives at the grassroots level.

The CM instructed the Health Department to ensure that those injured in road accidents receive appropriate medical care and stressed the importance of ensuring the safety of medical personnel. He instructed the Chief Secretary to arrange a meeting with the Health and Medical Education and Research Departments to address this issue. He emphasized the need for all departments to collaborate in a unified effort to improve road safety and healthcare outcomes.

Today’s meeting was attended by Minister of Transport etc. Jogen Mohan, Minister of Agriculture etc. Atul Bora (present virtually), Chief Secretary Dr. Ravi Kota (present virtually), Director General of Police GP Singh, Additional Chief Secretary A.K. Tiwari, Principal Secretary Dr. K.K. Dwivedi, Special Director General of Police Harmeet Singh, and other senior officials from various departments.