33rd Road Safety Week starts; many events planned

NASHIK: The 33rd Road Safety Week started on Wednesday with its inauguration programme organised by the Nashik Regional Transport Office (RTO) at the district collectorate.
The Nashik RTO has organised a series of programmes till January 17 to spread awareness among citizens about road safety.
Senior officials of the Nashik RTO, city police and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) at the inauguration event decided on increasing public participation in the road safety programme.Additional collector Babasaheb Pardhe inaugurated the Road Safety Week.
Deputy commissioner of police Pournima Chaugule, Nashik project director of NHAI Bhausaheb Salunke and divisional controller of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) Arun Siya were also present.
Pardhe in his address said despite the preventive measures taken by the administration, there was no response from motorists, as a majority of them were breaking traffic rules. He said efforts must be taken to increase public participation to bring down the rate of road accidents.
Nashik regional transport officer Pradeep Shinde in his introductory address said over 1.5 lakh people die in road accidents every year in the country. Nashik district topped the chart of road accidents in Maharashtra, he said.
DCP Chaugule in her address said motorists were negligent about their safety following which the police have to take strict measures to ensure motorists wear helmets and seat belts while driving.
On the backdrop of the inaugural programme, residents of the Mirchi Chowk area — where 13 people died in an accident on October 8 — were felicitated for plunging into the burning bus to save the passengers.