Guwahati: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday directed the deputy commissioners of the districts, which have recorded over 100 fatalities in road accidents in the last one year, to take urgent steps to cut down such road mishaps.
As per transport department data, nearly 2,500 people were killed in road accidents last year and over 2,600 were killed in 2020 in the state.
Sarma directed the transport department to ensure that necessary safety norms are introduced in accident-prone areas to bring down the incidences of road accidents.
Meanwhile, transport minister Parimal Suklabaidya has directed the senior officials of transport and other line departments to take measures to check overspeeding of vehicles, as 70% of the accidents are accounted for.
He instructed the panchayat and rural development department (P&RD) to conduct awareness drives among two and four-wheeler owners at the village panchayat level in coordination with the transport offices of the respective districts. He asked the state road safety council (SRSC) to primarily focus on ‘man to man’ contact to make road safety awareness campaigns more effective.
“We will be focusing more on the things that are essential on the roads to avert accidents. This includes following up with the Assam Police and other stakeholders for putting up signboards, road signals, speed breakers, reflectors, cat eyes, dividers. With the proper infrastructure and awareness among motorists, the rate of road accidents will certainly come down in the state,” he said.
