Improve road within 24 hours: Minister

State Road Safety Council meeting

NAHARLAGUN, 18 Jul: A State Road Safety Council meeting was held in the conference hall of Chief Secretary Dharmendra here on Thursday.

Addressing the participants, Transport Minister Ojing Tasing, who along with Transport Commissioner Vivek Pandey, ADGP Vivek Kishore, DIG Vijay Kumer, Traffic (Highway) SP Sepraj Perme, the director of the NERIST, among others, attended the meeting, said, “Wherever roads are damaged during monsoon or rainy season, it is the duty of the highway department or all departments concerned to improve the stretch of the road concerned within 24 hours.”

Saying that “the capital road is our mirror,” he urged the department concerned to “maintain every district’s road condition.”

Regarding the proposal for installation of traffic lights at all busy junctions in Itanagar, the minister requested the department to “include Pasighat (E/Siang), which is also one of the oldest towns in the state.”

“Reckless driving on the highway must be controlled; night patrolling should be carried out; and bars and resorts should be directed to maintain the timings,” he said.

The chief secretary said that “we must make serious efforts to stop accidents,” and suggested conducting a “road safety meeting” every three months, adding that “we have a large percentage of accidents in our state.”

The transport commissioner presented a brief on the issues pertaining to road safety management, and on “bringing a qualitative change in road safety in the state.”

Road safety fund; refresher course for drivers; identification of black spots; painting zebra crossings and road signs; driving training school certification by the transport department; and ensuring safe transportation of schoolchildren were also discussed at the meeting. (DIPR)