Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 17: “Enough is enough, loss of precious lives in traffic accidents will not be tolerated any more”, the Minister of State for Home, Industries and Commerce, Sajad Ahmad Kitchloo today asked the officers of Traffic Police and Transport Departments at a high level meeting convened here to take stock of Traffic Management System in the State, in the aftermath of the Fatal road accident near Bhala, Bhaderwah yesterday.
Principal Secretary Home, Suresh Kumar, Commissioner Secretary Industries and Commerce Shantmanu, Commissioner Secretary Tourism, Atul Dulloo, Transport Commissioner, Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo, Deputy Inspector General of Police Traffic Shakeel Baigh, RTO, Jammu, Arvind Kotwal and concerned officers were present in the meeting.
Mr. Kitchloo directed the law enforcing agencies to act tough against habitual traffic offenders and urged for a massive crackdown against use of cell phones and drinking while driving asserting that major road accidents have occurred due to human errors. He directed for suspending route permits of all the habitual offenders especially involved in rash driving and over loading.
Mr. Kitchloo directed the DIG Traffic and Transport Commissioner to depute a fact finding team of experts to erstwhile Doda district to ascertain the causes of repeated traffic accident in the area and suggest measures to overcome this menace.
He also underscored the need for focused attention towards Road Safety Auditing (RSA), and called for workable mechanism to have best of the men for regulating traffic on roads particularly in mountainous and hilly terrains of the State to check road accidents.
Mr. Kitchloo directed for stringent punishment against violators of traffic rules and regulations, adding that those responsible for any sort of laxity should be taken to task. “Negligent driving and alleged complaints of connivance of road managers was the main cause of concern”, Mr. Kitchloo said while seeking stern action against erring traffic operators. He directed for fixing of responsibility on both sectoral heads of traffic police and men in blue deployed on roads for any mishap in their respective areas of jurisdiction, adding that police nakas and traffic posts besides mobile teams of traffic police will have to be accountable for any traffic mishap in their areas of jurisdiction.
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