Driving institutes distant dream

Inquiry reports in most cases of road accidents tell us that among other reasons drivers of vehicles that met with accidents did not possess proper driving license issued by the Transport Department. This is not anything exclusive with our State. By and large, the situation prevails in other States also. However the peculiar thing about our State is that most of its roads are hilly and thus more vulnerable to road accidents resulting in many fatalities.
The Transport Department officers are meeting every now and then to discuss how safety of road traffic can be increased and the chances of road accidents minimize. Some measures are suggested and even implemented. But at the same time many other preventive measure still remain unimplemented and thus the safety of road transport in hilly State is not guaranteed as it should be. It is but natural that we should focus on such measures as are not implemented and stress upon the Government that no stone is left unturned to make road transport safe.
Five years ago, the Union Road Transport Ministry flagged off a scheme in which it said that Model Institutes of Drivers Training and Research would be established in each State. Fortunately, the Union Ministry announced establishing of two such institutes one each at Jammu and Srinagar. The scheme was to ensure that maximum prospective drivers received the training in these institutes and later on after taking to the roads, would maximally reduce the danger of road accidents owing to the vehicles being driven by unlicensed drivers. Five years have passed when this announcement was made. The Union Road Transport Ministry said that for each Model Institute of Drivers Training and Research (IDTR) it would be providing a grant up to Rs 17 crore as also Rs 5 crore of smaller Regional Driving Training Centers (RDTC). Under this scheme, two such institutes were sanctioned for Jammu and Kashmir. This announcement was first made by the State Road Transport Minister in 2011. Subsequently, till date no fewer than four Transport Ministers of the State went on reiterating that these institutes would be incepted and that all preparations were afoot for undertaking the project. Even a number of legislators raised the issues in the Legislative Assembly during past five years demanding the Government state its position on these projects. No satisfactory reply was given and all that was said was that the project was under consideration and feasibility was being examined.
Though transport authorities are tongue tied and would not divulge the reasons why the project has been delayed for five long years yet we have come to know that the general excuse of not receiving funds at proper time is circulated in closed door circles. This is the patent theory of absolving oneself from the responsibility and accountability. The ground situation is that most of the States in the country have not only implemented the scheme but are asking the Union Road Transport Ministry to open more institutes in their States to meet the growing demand for training and research in driving sphere. If this is the ground reality in other State how come the lame excuses made by the J&K State can become tenable? This is sheer callousness on the art of the Transport Department. Yet another excuse carved out by the transport authorities is that while land has been identified in Jammu in the outskirts of the city, no land could be identified in the peripheries of Srinagar. Who does not know that land acquisition has become a problem in the State. But then things cannot stop and the cause of accidental death of innocent passengers over the national highways cannot go unnoticed. Somebody has to be held responsible. Besides, there are also court instructions that the Transport Department should take stringent measures to curb corrupt practice of fake or maneuvered licenses. There are so many complaints against road transport in general and city transport in particular in regard to both capital cities of Srinagar and Jammu.
We strongly criticize the Government especially the Transport Department for not showing any respect or concern for very useful schemes floated by the Union Government and its various departments that are meant to bring comfort and security to the people of the country.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here