JAMMU – The Government has asked the Transport department to launch a sustained campaign to create mass awareness about road safety rules to bring down the graph of accidents in the state.
The directions were issued by the Minister for Transport, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CA&PD), Mr Qamar Ali Akhoon, while chairing a meeting convened to review the functioning of the Transport Department and its allied wings.
The Minister asked the department functionaries to hold series of awareness camps at Bus stands, public places, Main Chowks, Educational Institutions etc, to educate people and the transport operators about the road safety rules. He asked to involve students, Non Governmental Organisations, Civil Society members and the mass media, including theatre groups in the awareness campaign.
The Minister asked the enforcement agencies to check rash and negligent driving, besides overloading by the public transport as these are considered as main reasons of fatal accidents leading to loss of precious lives.
The Minister also listed various reforms planned for maintaining transparency in the issuance of licences, Fitness Certificates and other requirements to ensure safe and efficient transport system in the state.
He said that the government has mooted a plan to install cameras to record the driving test and passing of vehicles to check mal practices in the issuances of these crucial permissions.
Earlier, Transport Commissioner Mr. Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo informed the meeting that the Transport Department has realized an amount of Rs 81.97 crore till October this year against the target of Rs 135.70 cr set for this year. It was also given out in the meeting that the field functionaries of the Motor Vehicles Department had collected Rs 36.41 crore as fine, penalty during road checking till ending July, 2012. The meeting was informed that Rs 90.25 lakh have been disbursed under Passenger Welfare Fund among accident victims.
Mr. Kakroo said that as many as 982190 vehicles of different kinds, including Goods and passenger Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMV) and Light Motor Vehicles LMV, are registered with the department operating in the State . Out of these 599553 vehicles are registered in Jammu Division alone.
The meeting was further informed that 41206 High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) have been fitted on different kind of vehicles since June 2012. Out of these 25123 HSRP have been fitted on the vehicles in Jammu Division, while as 16085 in Kashmir Division.
It was given out in the meeting that 22 offices, including three Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) and 19 Assistant Regional Transport Offices (ARTOs) have been computerized with digitalization of records.
While reviewing the function of the State Motor Garages Department, the Minister was informed that the department has earned revenue of Rs 28.76 lakhs during this year so far. It was also given out that construction work on District Garage at Kupwara was in final stage and the work on District Garage Udhampur has been completed. The land for District Garages at Budgam, Bandipur and Samba has been acquired and the work shall be started soon after the funds are released by the government, the meeting was informed.
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