Pulwama, May 24: Dr. Basharat Qayoom (IAS), Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, today chaired a comprehensive meeting of the District Road Safety Committee (DRSC) at the Administrative Complex Pulwama, aimed at strengthening road safety mechanisms and mitigating road accidents across the district.
At the outset, the Executive Engineer, R&B Division Pulwama (Member Secretary DRSC), presented a detailed PowerPoint presentation outlining the current road safety status, actions taken on previous decisions, black spot identification, removal of unauthorized cuts, and compliance with Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety (SCCoRS) norms. While presenting the Year wise Road Accident Data, the chair was apprised that the number of accidents has significantly reduced in this year vis-à-vis previous years.
The Deputy Commissioner reviewed the decisions taken during the previous meeting and the action taken by concerned departments. He sought department-wise action plans for better coordination and tangible progress on road safety initiatives.
During the meeting, the Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) Pulwama apprised the Chair about the series of enforcement drives carried out across the district to ensure adherence to traffic and safety regulations. It was further informed that comprehensive inspection drives of all school buses operating within the district have been successfully completed. Additionally, it was conveyed that the installation of CCTV cameras in all school buses has been ensured, significantly enhancing the safety and monitoring of student transportation.
Dr. Qayoom stressed the importance of joint enforcement drives, particularly targeting rash driving, illegal parking and use of safety gear. He emphasized on organising a fortnight of medical check-ups of commercial drivers in collaboration with the Health Department, ensuring their physical fitness for road safety. He also directed the ARTO Pulwama to intensify enforcement drives and awareness drives especially regarding the Road Accident Victim Fund.
During the meeting, DC directed the Chief Education Officer and Principals of Degree Colleges to revitalize Road Safety Clubs in schools and colleges to promote traffic awareness among students.
Highlighting the issue of illegal parking, the DC instructed the R&B Department to prioritize the coverage of black spots and installation of crash barriers and signage at vulnerable locations. He further instructed the department to expedite the repair of potholes and ensure immediate attention to all critical black spots across the district, with a view to preventing accidents and ensuring smoother traffic flow.
A special emphasis was laid on leveraging the Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD) to facilitate data-driven analysis and targeted interventions. The DC called for a multi-stakeholder approach, comprising officials from engineering and police departments, to study accident causes and propose remedial measures.
The Deputy Commissioner reiterated that removal of road encroachments must be taken up on priority and that the overall culture of road safety can only be improved through coordinated action, robust infrastructure, and public engagement.
Among others, the meeting was attended by the Chief Medical Officer, Pulwama; Principals of Government Degree Colleges Pulwama, Rajpora; Executive Engineers of R&B and PMGSY; Executive Officers of Municipalities; ARTO Pulwama and DySP Traffic Pulwama.
