CM orders strict action against drunk driving, overspeeding & illegal vehicles

Lucknow: Expressing concern over recent road accidents in districts, including Lakhimpur Kheri, Amroha, Agra and Aligarh, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said every human life is valuable and all departments should work in coordination to further reduce road accidents and fatalities.

Chairing a high-level road safety review meeting in Lucknow, the CM said road accident deaths caused loss to both the state and the nation.

“Most accidents occur due to lack of awareness and negligence. Officials should launch special road safety campaigns in all districts,” he said.

During the meeting, officials said that road accidents in Uttar Pradesh declined by 21% between Jan and April, while fatalities dropped by 22% during the same period this year.

The CM ordered strict enforcement against stunt driving, overspeeding, drunken driving, overloaded vehicles, illegally operated dumpers and poorly maintained buses.

“Such violations will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Ensure accountability at every administrative level, from the state govt to district authorities,” he said.

Yogi directed transport department officials, district administrations and police authorities to hold regular coordination meetings on road safety.

He instructed authorities to identify accident-prone “black spots” on roads and prepare time-bound action plans for rectification.

“Public works department should install proper signage and construct tabletop speed breakers at intersections and vulnerable locations,” the CM said.

He emphasised that illegal vehicle operations and roadside encroachments and parking should be removed.

Highlighting the need for stronger field-level monitoring, Yogi said senior transport department and transport corporation officials should visit districts regularly. He asked officials to fix accountability of RTOs and ARTOs in districts and ensure that only fit vehicles operate on roads.

Yogi also directed the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation to ensure regular fitness checks of buses and mandatory health examinations of drivers and conductors.

He instructed school managements to ensure fitness certification of school vehicles and warned of strict action against vehicles repeatedly challaned for traffic violations, including cancellation of permits and licences.

Yogi also urged the people to follow traffic safety norms, including wearing helmets and seat belts. He directed authorities to intensify awareness campaigns through public address systems at intersections, toll plazas and busy roads.

“Hoardings and signage promoting traffic rules and road safety should also be installed at prominent locations,” he said.

The CM stressed the need for regular patrolling and adequate ambulance deployment on highways and expressways to ensure timely medical assistance to accident victims.

Officials from the traffic police department said that, using grants from the Road Safety Fund, 25 four-wheeler interceptors, 62 two-wheeler interceptors and 82 speed laser guns are being distributed across districts.

They said that Uttar Pradesh was the only state in the country to implement the ‘Zero Fatality District’ scheme in all 487 critical police stations across all 75 districts. Under the initiative, 573 critical corridor teams have been formed, each comprising one sub-inspector and four police personnel, officials said, adding that the initiative helped save 566 lives in the past four months alone.