Itanagar road safety body holds meet; adopts key measures to curb rising accidents

Arunachal Pradesh's Itanagar Road Safety Council (IRSC), on July 28, convened its first meeting which witnessed active participation from key stakeholders including officials from the police department, PWD, transport, education, health, and other line departments.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Toko Babu, APCS, Deputy Commissioner, Capital Complex, at the DC Office, Itanagar.

The IRSC has been constituted in accordance with the directives of the Government of Arunachal Pradesh to address the rising concern over road accidents and to institutionalize a robust road safety mechanism at the district level.

The meeting included a comprehensive presentation by the Executive Engineer, PWD, Naharlagun Highway Division, on the roles and responsibilities of the IRSC. He highlighted the alarming increase in road accident cases in recent months and emphasized the importance of coordinated action among all departments.

Key resolutions adopted during the meeting include:

• Holding IRSC meetings on a quarterly basis.
   
• Preparation of Action Plans by all concerned departments to improve road safety.
   
• Identification of accident black spots and critical junctions requiring infrastructure upgrades like zebra crossings, rumble strips, signage, and lighting.
   
• Strict enforcement drives against drunk driving, mobile phone use while driving, and underage or unlicensed driving.
   
• Inspection of school transport vehicles to ensure student safety.
   
• Formation of Road Safety Cells in all educational institutions and rollout of awareness campaigns in schools and colleges.
   
• Nomination of drivers for refresher courses and Good Samaritans for recognition under the “RAH VEER” initiative.

A key highlight of the meeting was the unanimous decision to request the State Government to allocate at least 50% of traffic challan revenue to the respective districts in proportion to their collection. The members observed that the Capital Region generates a significantly higher amount of traffic-related revenue due to higher vehicle density and stricter enforcement, and this must be acknowledged to reinvest in local traffic infrastructure and safety measures.

The Deputy Commissioner concluded the meeting with a call for collective action, departmental synergy, and public participation to make the roads of the Capital Region safer for all.