GUWAHATI: In view of the increasing number of accidents on the highways, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday held a meeting with the senior officers of Transport Department, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) NHIDCL, PWD (Building & NH) to discuss with them the causative factors and preventive measures of road accidents including over speed, stated a press release.
In the meeting, in consonance with the guidelines of the NHAI and NHIDCL regarding the vehicular speed which ranges from 100 KM per hour to 40 KM per hour depending on the roads, Chief Minister Sarma said that till generating adequate awareness among the people, the penalties levied on violation of speed limits, by the department concerned should be put on hold. Sarma also asked the department concerned to identity vulnerable points prone to accidents with proper and conspicuous signages. He also asked the department to give visible markings for the drivers to show the presence of roadside schools, hospitals and other establishments. He also exhorted the need of creating rumble strips to reduce speed of the vehicles on the highways near schools and hospitals. Moreover, instructions were also given to put signages and speed breakers at the points of road junctions, traffic clamming areas.
The meeting also discussed on the need of creating adequate road safety awareness over the next two months as the Chief Minister asked the Transport Department to get on the work with full throttle. In this context, the Chief Minister, besides resorting to attractive advertisements on the media, emphasized the importance of using the services of prominent sports personalities and cultural icons to create awareness. Sarma also asked the Transport Department to arrange for adequate publicity of the high points and salient points of the notification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on April 6, 2018.
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