Road safety to be made part of schools & colleges curriculum; stresses Transport Minister

Transport Department to write letters to concerned departments

‘No Challan Day’ to sensitize people about traffic rules on 14 November

Directs to improve signages & soft-shoulders on all roads

MLAs and other Congress leaders assured to extend fulsome support in road safety awareness programs

Nabaz-e-Punjab Bureau, Chandigarh, October 29:
Punjab Transport Minister Mr. Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, on Friday, directed to celebrate “No challan day” by organizing a roadside campaign where traffic violators such as over-speeding, drink, and driving, driving without helmet, use of mobile while driving; overloading, etc. will be stopped and given traffic awareness briefing on Road Safety. The violators and general public will be given pamphlets and badges on Road Safety during the campaign. Chairing a meeting to review the preparation for the Road Safety campaign to be organized on November 14, 2021, at all Block, District, and metropolitan cities in the State, the Transport Minister stressed that Road Safety should be made part of the curriculum in the school and colleges and students should be assessed for grads on road safety material not just as an optional chapter in the books. He directed the Lead Agency to issue the letter to Departments of School, Higher and Technical Education in this regard. The ‘No Challan Day’ will be celebrated from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon on November 14, 2021, where the officials of Transport Department and Traffic Police, with the Cooperation of Public Representatives of the area and also active involvement of NGO’s and civil society organizations, will sensitize commuters”, said the minister, adding that the NGO’s and Civil Society Organizations will be fully involved for bringing Road Safety Awareness among the general public and may also distribute Helmets and paste Retro Reflective Tape, etc. It was also decided in the meeting that the state government will be approached for the release of grants earmarked in the budget for taking up Road Safety activities for the purchase of Retro Reflective Bands, Road Signages, and other Road Safety Equipment in the State. The Transport Minister directed the road owning departments to fully utilize the budget provision made in the DPR’s of new roads for Road Safety Activities. He has also directed the Departments to improve the signages and soft-shoulders on all the roads for pedestrian walking and also for cyclists, especially in rural and municipal roads. Communication in this regard will be sent to all the Authorities by the Lead Agency. MLAs and Youth Congress leaders and Mahila Congress leaders from almost all districts of Punjab participated in the meeting and gave valuable suggestions regarding the improvement of roads, footpaths, signages and prevention of road accidents in the state. MLAs and other leaders presented in the meeting assured the Transport Minister to extend their full cooperation in various Road Safety Activities in districts and block-level programs to bring traffic awareness among the general public across the State because Punjab along with states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, etc is among the top five states where fatalities per lakh population are higher side. ADGP (Traffic) Dr. S.S. Chauhan suggested that Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Gurpurb should be organized as World Pedestrian Day and requested the Transport Department to send a proposal to MoRTH, Govt. of India in this regard. Principal Secretary, Transport Mr. K. Siva Prasad, Director General Lead Agency Mr. R. Venkat Ratnam, Addl. Director-General of Police (Traffic) Dr. S.S. Chauhan and Traffic Advisor, Punjab and officers from Department of NHAI, PWD (B&R), Local Govt., Traffic Police and Transport Department also present in the meeting.