RAMBAN: District Road Safety Committee meeting was held today under the chairmanship of District Magistrate, Mussarat Islam here today. The meeting was called to discuss road safety measures for reducing accidents, raising awareness about road safety, safety audit of roads and overall improvement of roads.
The DM was informed that the National Highway Authority of India has identified key spots which have been centre of the highest number of road accidents happened on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. The construction agencies were directed by the DM maintain all the spots on priority.
The DM directed the concerned agencies to take all preventive measure to reduce number as well as mortality rate in these accidents by erecting fluorescent painted crash barriers and reflective sign boards at critical points like Nashri, Kunfer Bridge, Karoal, Mehar, Digdole, Khooni Nallah, Anookhi Fall, Ramsoo, Digdol, Sher Bibi, Battary Chashma and Hingni.
SSP Ramban, PD Nitya highlighted various issues relating to the condition of NH-44 and link roads besides suggesting various measures important for reducing road accidents and death in the accidents.
She informed that from January 1, 2020 upto June 10, 2021 total 305 accidents have happened in the district in which 76 people lost their lives and 338 were injured besides impressing upon all the stakeholders to put their sincere efforts in reducing the rate of road accidents to save precious lives.
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mohammad Fareed Bhat was directed by the District Magistrate to propose a plan to provide a dedicated ambulance facility to accident victims on call. The issue of establishment of a Trauma Centre at Ramsoo was also discussed in the meeting.
The Police and Traffic departments were asked to act proactively for curbing traffic rule violators. Various stakeholders were also asked to give their feedback for implementing the District Road Safety Action Plan effectively.
District Magistrate directed the Engineers of PMGSY and PWD to repair all existing road network in rural areas besides filling pot-holes along the link roads.
The DM directed ARTO Ramban to compile a database of all accident victims to provide relief assistance to families of the deceased and to the injured as per extant rule. The Chief Education Officer was also directed to sensitize students about traffic rules and road safety measures.
Earlier, ARTO Ramban informed about the initiatives taken to curb the menace of over speeding, over charging, wrong parking, drunken driving, under age driving etc on NHW and various link roads. He disclosed that Rs 19.5 lakh has been recovered as fine from traffic rule violators since April 2020.
The meeting was also attended by Chief Executive Officer, MC Ramban, Vishwajeet; Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mohammad Fareed Bhat; Chief Education Officer, Vinod Koul among officers from BRO, PWD, PMGSY and PHE, members of various NGOs besides representatives of construction companies among others.