The Regional Transport Authority Kathua today issued 72 new route permits at a meeting held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Ramesh Kumar.In the meeting, the concerned authorities were asked to identify the overcrowded and dry routes to maintain a balance between the requirement and availability of transport.RTO was directed to enforce upon the drivers to wear uniform while driving and devising a mechanism for implementing ticketing in private transport.Earlier the Deputy Commissioner, Kathua chaired a meeting of District Road Safety Committee whereat several important decisions were taken with regard to traffic regulation, identification of parking and implementation of effective road safety mechanism.The DC reviewed the action taken on the decisions of the last meeting, issued instructions to adopt a multi-pronged strategy for awareness, enforcement, engineering and emergency care to improve safety on roads as recommended by The National Road Safety Policy 2010 and directions of Supreme Court of India. The Chief Education Officer was directed to issue directions to all the schools to strictly follow the guidelines of the Supreme Court regarding maintenance of the School buses, installation of speed governors and close check on students driving without license or helmet.
The CEO was also directed to establish clubs in schools to create awareness regarding rules and regulations of traffic.The DC directed the RTO, Traffic department and the Police to check the overloading in passenger vehicles particularly during the peak hours. He stressed on organizing mass awareness programs regarding traffic rules and regulations. He directed authorities of National Highway Authority of India, BRO and PWD to ensure Highway Patrol with provision of crane, installation of signboards, blinkers in accident prone areas and cleaning of bushes/vegetation on national highway. He asked for sensitizing people about latest directions of Supreme Court regarding protection and to discourage any harassment to good Samaritans or persons who evacuate the injured accident victims. To encourage people to extend help to accident victims, the DC asked the CMO and other departments to display the latest directions of Supreme Court in the hospitals.
The DC also directed revenue authorities to identify land for construction of wayside amenities to be developed by National Highway Authority of India. Traffic department was also directed to put up nakas during school hours to keep check on driving without helmets, rash driving and overloading. He asked for compounding of all school and commercial vehicles running on illegal LPG Kits.The DC also issued directions to SDMs to mobilize Tehsildar and Naib Tehsildars to enforce the traffic regulations and book the offenders for violation of Motor Vehicles Act, in their respective jurisdictions for which powers have already been delegated to them by Transport Department.The CMO Kathua was also directed to keep stand by ambulances at all the locations/blocks to meet any emergency and augment the blood bank facility in coordination with the Red Cross Society.The CEO Kathua Municipality was directed to identify places for developing parking zones to avoid traffic congestion in main market areas of the town. SSP Kathua, ADC, DC Excise Lakhanpur, SDMs, SP Traffic, CMO, CEO, ARTO, Engineers, representative of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), GREF and NYK were present.