Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has given a clarion call to the all the sections of the society to adopt the road safety as culture of their lives and make it a mass campaign. He was speaking during the prize distribution function of the marathon rally organized by the Transport department here today on the occasion of state level road safety awareness campaign.Jai Ram Thakur said that the state government is committed to check the road accidents and the launch of state level road safety campaign is a major initiative in this direction. The government is going to make provision of better roads, crash barriers, well trained drivers and mechanically fit vehicles for ensuring road safety. He said a road safety cell has also been constituted in the state transport department.The Chief Minister said that being a hilly state, the road accidents in the state are of serious nature and the death toll is also usually high as compared to the plain areas. He expressed his concern that during last three years, 3500 people lost their lives and 16,593 sustained injuries in 9377 road accidents in the state.He said that although all are well aware of the traffic rules and provisions but usually their approach is causal and most often become victim of road accidents.
The people have to realize that these rules are for their safety and they should follow them with utmost responsibility.Jai Ram Thakur said that analysis of the road accidents has proved that the number of death toll is always at higher end on rural roads as compared to the urban areas. The main reasons for the road accidents include rash and drunken driving, overloading, not using the seat belt, use of music system while driving and overlooking the traffic rules.He stressed the need to involve the Yuvak Mandals, Mahila Mandals, Nehru Yuva Kendras, Self-Help Groups and students in this campaign to achieve the desired results. He also appealed all the citizens to cooperate in implementing the provisions made by the government for ensuring road safety.The Chief Minister congratulates the winners of the marathon and the transport department for successfully organising this event.The Chief Minister administered the oath of road safety to the people present on the occasion. He also launched the facebook page on road safety and the songs on road safety written by Kumar Sahil.The artistes of Information and Public Relations presented a play on road safety.Commissioner-cum-Director, Transport Capt. J.M Pathania detailed about the activities to be taken under the road safety campaign in the state.Vidhan Sabha Speaker Dr. Rajiv Bindal, Minister’s Suresh Bhardwaj, Sarveen Chaudhary, Vipin Parmar, Govind Thakur, Chief Whip Narendrer Bragta, Mayor Kusum Sadrate, Chief Secretary B.K Agarwal, MLAs and Councillors were also present in this occasion.