A meeting of the District Road Safety Committee was held today under the chairmanship of Sh. Nishant Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner, UT Chandigarh to review the status of various road safety measures and to deliberate upon initiatives aimed at reducing road accidents and fatalities in the district. The meeting was attended by the SSP (Traffic), Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs), and senior officers from the Transport Department, Police Department, Engineering Wings, Health Department, Municipal bodies, along with other key stakeholders concerned with traffic management and public safety.
The Deputy Commissioner expressed satisfaction over the effective action taken for pruning of trees, which were earlier obstructing the visibility of traffic signals at several locations. It was noted that timely coordination among the concerned departments has significantly improved signal visibility, ensured smoother traffic movement, and enhanced overall road safety.
Directions were issued to the concerned agencies to ensure that zebra crossings are clearly marked, well-maintained, and visible at all times to safeguard pedestrians and promote orderly traffic behavior. The Committee was further informed about the appointment of Nodal Officers for the implementation of the “Zero Fatality District” initiative, being undertaken in collaboration with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), with the objective of systematically addressing and reducing road crash fatalities in the district. The designated Nodal Officers are as follows:
• Transport Department – Director Transport
• Police Department – DSP Traffic (R&D)
• Public Health Engineering Department – Superintendent Engineer
• Health Department – Head of Department, Emergency Services, GMSH-16
It was highlighted that the Zero Fatality District programme has already been initiated in several States and has demonstrated encouraging outcomes through pilot projects. Notably, a 58% reduction in road crash fatalities was achieved on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway under the “Zero Fatality Corridor” model.
The programme is presently being implemented in more than 20 districts across the country, with districts such as Nagpur reporting significant improvements in road safety outcomes. Emphasizing the importance of a multi-disciplinary and data-driven approach, the Deputy Commissioner underscored the need for robust inter-departmental coordination, regular monitoring, and timely interventions to achieve the objective of safer roads.
All departments were directed to work in close coordination and ensure effective and sustained implementation of road safety measures across the district.