A meeting of the District Road Safety Committee was held under the chairmanship of Sh. Nishant Kumar Yadav, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Chandigarh, to review the progress of ongoing road safety initiatives and infrastructure works across the city. The meeting was attended by the SSP (Traffic & Security), SDMs and officials from the State Transport Authority (STA), Engineering Department, Urban Planning Department, Health Department, Municipal Corporation Chandigarh, and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
An Action Taken Report (ATR) on the decisions taken during the previous meeting was presented before the Committee. The report highlighted the installation of road furniture and implementation of engineering measures on the road dividing Sectors 14/25 and Sectors 25/38, repair and replacement of defective traffic signages, installation of Automatic Traffic Control (ATC) signals at Dhanas Bridge near the Dumping Ground, Matka Chowk and the T-point of Industrial Area Phase-I, as well as the provision of traffic signals at the Panchkula and Baltana turns to improve traffic management and reduce congestion.
The Committee was also apprised of the widening of the road from Airport Light Point to the Airport, physical segregation of cycle tracks from Transport Chowk to Tribune Chowk and from Kali Bari Light Point towards Sector 47 Light Point, implementation of road engineering measures at identified fatal accident locations, rectification of leakages on cycle tracks, establishment of Traffic Police Assistance Booths at major intersections and action taken against encroachments by vendors across the city.
The PM Rahat Scheme, launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India to provide cashless treatment to road accident victims, was reviewed in detail. The Deputy Commissioner directed the Police Department to ensure timely verification of accident cases within 24 hours in non-life-threatening cases and within 48 hours in life-threatening cases.
The Health Department was instructed to review all pending cases related to the release of funds under the scheme and submit an updated status report within the stipulated timeframe. The Committee also discussed the Rah-Veer Scheme (Good Samaritan Scheme) of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, which aims to encourage and recognise individuals who provide timely assistance to road accident victims during the critical “golden hour.”
It was informed that six individuals had rendered prompt assistance in saving the lives of accident victims. Appreciating their exemplary humanitarian efforts, the Committee decided to honour them with Appreciation Certificates and a cash reward of ₹25,000 each under the provisions of the scheme, subject to verification.
The Deputy Commissioner emphasised the importance of timely completion of all ongoing road safety projects and directed all concerned departments to work in close coordination to ensure effective implementation of road safety measures. He reiterated the Chandigarh Administration’s commitment to strengthening road safety infrastructure, improving traffic management and creating a safer, more efficient and commuter-friendly road environment for all road users in the city.