Road safety: HDR calls for harsh steps to tame traffic rogues

SHILLONG: Transport Minister HDR Lyngdoh has directed police to be “harsh” with road rogues so that accidents can be averted.
Speaking at a road safety advocacy organised by the department and the deputy commissioner’s office here on Friday, Lyngdoh asked the District Transport Office to be strict while issuing driving licence.
“It is better to be harsh for good or else we cannot control injuries and untimely loss of lives due to road accidents,” the minister said and asked the city police to intensify patrolling against rash driving and people who do not follow safety precautions while driving.
In fact, the minister recommended that the public should snatch the keys from a drunken driver and complain to the police against violators and overloading of vehicles.
Lyngdoh maintained that wearing of seat belt and helmet has to be self-regulatory on the part of the public as it is meant for protecting one’s life from unforeseen fatal accidents.
The minister blamed the district transport officers for being lackadaisical in following proper checking before issuing licences.
“Due to this there are many drivers who do not even know how to read traffic signs or they don’t even recognise the signal signs,” he added.
Pot-holed roads will also be identified and repaired. There is also need for identifying landslide-prone areas.
The government has stepped up measures to check accidents after the state recorded 35 accidents between January and December 2016, of which 26 were fatal.
There were 13 road accidents from January to June 2017, where 11 persons died and 12 sustained injuries.
Referring to the recent incident that killed three persons when a tree fell on a taxi they were travelling in, Lyngdoh said though the slogan of the Forest Department is to ensure clean and green environment, trees which pose threat to human lives need to be felled.
“A proper survey should be conducted and trees found to be old and risky should be immediately cut,” he added.
The minister further asked the health department to also submit proposal for setting up of trauma centres along the state and national highways to give timely medical attention to injured patients especially due to road accidents.
Later, the minister also administered the Traffic Pledge to the crowd in the gathering and later flagged off a rally by the students as part of creating awareness on road safety.