NHAI, NHIDCL, BRO, PMGSY, R&B to flag black spots, suggest fixes
AI-based monitoring, ITMS expansion in pipeline
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 3: As there is no let-up in tragic road accidents, a high-level committee constituted for monitoring and implementation of the Road Safety Policy in the Union Territory has directed key infrastructure agencies—National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY wing) and the Roads and Buildings Department to submit comprehensive road safety audit reports for all stretches under their jurisdiction by the end of the current month.
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The directions were issued by the committee comprising the Administrative Secretary, Public Works Department; Administrative Secretary, Transport Department; Inspector General of Police (Traffic), J&K and the Transport Commissioner, during a recent meeting held to deliberate on the progress made by the concerned departments and agencies in achieving the objectives of the Road Safety Policy, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
“The audits will focus on identifying vulnerable spots, accident-prone zones and lapses in existing infrastructure. Moreover, these agencies will analyse whether the existing traffic management measures, signage, road markings and other interventions are sufficient to check road accidents”, sources said, adding, “after this detailed exercise, the agencies will recommend corrective measures to the committee, which will subsequently issue necessary directions for implementation on a war-footing basis”.
Stating that the move is part of a coordinated strategy to reduce fatalities and enhance road safety standards across highways and rural road networks, sources said, “in parallel, all Deputy Commissioners, who head the District Road Safety Committees (DRSCs), have been instructed to conduct on-spot inspections of locations where major accidents have occurred in the past within their respective districts and assess areas where road safety management and emergency response need improvement”.
The Deputy Commissioners have further been asked to ensure immediate initiation of remedial measures, including improved signage, road engineering corrections and installation of crash barriers wherever required by utilising funds available under different resources.
“The committee, which is supervising the implementation of the Road Safety Policy, is of the opinion that fragmented efforts will not suffice and has called for seamless coordination among departments”, sources said, adding, “installation of crash barriers at critical stretches, better road marking and stricter enforcement have been identified as urgent priorities”.
Addressing the issue of negligent driving, the committee, as per sources, has outlined a two-pronged approach. Advanced driver training programmes through Institutes of Driving Training and Research (IDTRs) are likely to commence by June this year, focusing on technology-driven and camera-monitored modules. Simultaneously, enforcement measures have been intensified, including large-scale campaigns for suspension of Driving Licences (DLs) and Registration Certificates (RCs) in cases of serious violations.
Regarding the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), currently being implemented under the Smart City initiative in both capital cities, the committee has stressed the need to expand its coverage and upgrade the system. “An exercise has also been set into motion to plan expansion of ITMS to major towns of the Union Territory, where vehicular traffic has increased over the years and the need for intelligent management is being felt,” sources informed.
“Moreover, proposals are being drafted for deploying Artificial Intelligence-based surveillance and automated enforcement mechanisms on National Highways to ensure human-less monitoring. However, preparation of a concrete action plan will take some time”, sources said, adding that the high-level committee favours data-driven traffic regulation and real-time intervention systems.
“A sustained, technology-backed and enforcement-driven approach, combined with infrastructure upgrades, will be key to significantly reducing road accidents in Jammu and Kashmir,” sources said. However, they stressed that all planned measures must be implemented in a time-bound manner, given the frequent occurrence of tragic road accidents across the Union Territory claiming innocent lives.
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