Jammu- Expressing concern over the alarming figures of fatal road accidents on the national highway and other major roads in Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta on Wednesday directed National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to prioritize installation of crash barriers and parapets throughout the accident prone areas and black spots.
Mehta passed these directions while chairing a meeting to review traffic scenarios in Jammu and Kashmir, an official spokesperson said.
He said that the NHAI was also asked to install mesh coverings at landslide-prone areas to ensure safety of plying vehicles while the traffic police was asked to ensure adequate deputation of traffic personnel on the congested stretches to enforce speed limits and discipline in lane driving.
Further, the spokesperson said that the Chief Secretary directed the traffic police to check over-speeding inside the Navayug and Nashri Tunnels and ensure strict compliance to the fixed speed limits.
“Directions were also issued for expeditious procurement of gadgets to check speed limits for which NHAI has already initiated the process,” he added.
While reviewing the recurrent traffic jams on the National Highway due to police checking and nakas, the Chief Secretary, as per the spokesperson directed the concerned to conduct checking of vehicles in a regulated manner without causing disruption to the smooth traffic movement.
“The enforcement agencies were further asked to submit the factual reports of each checking drive with the higher authorities for ensuring suitable penal action against the delinquents,” he said.
To ensure transparency and accountability during the enforcement drives, Mehta, he said, directed mandatory wearing of body cameras by the concerned officials, besides ensuring installation of traffic cameras on all traffic interceptors.
“The Transport Department was asked to organize a campaign to raise public awareness on traffic rules and reporting of traffic misconduct either by public or enforcement agencies,” the spokesperson said.
With regard to the summer migration of nomadic population, he said, the Chief Secretary was informed of the Tribal Affairs Department’s initiative of providing vehicular transportation to the migratory population.
“Accordingly, the traffic police was asked to make arrangements for proper traffic management in coordination with the Tribal Affairs Department. Similarly, the Traffic Police was also asked to adequately plan for the Amarnath Yatra 2022 in consultation with the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board,” he said.
The spokesperson said that regarding the decongestion of city and town areas, the divisional administrations and traffic police were directed to strictly enforce no-parking norms and vacate illegal parkings within one week.
“They were asked to launch special drives against pressure horns, unauthorized headlights, and use of tinted glasses in 4-wheelers. For improving the in-city traffic movement, directions were issued for installation of traffic cameras on a mission mode, in addition to specifying ‘city/town speed limits,” he added.
Moreover, the Chief Secretary directed the Transport Department to ensure installation of High Security Number Plates (HSNP) in all vehicles, within one month.
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