Guwahati, Dec 29: The Assam transport department has intensified its campaign against overspeeding and drink-and-drive cases to prevent fatalities during the festive season.
A fleet of high-tech speed interceptor vehicles have also hit the roads to rein in traffic violators.
The traffic interceptor vehicles are equipped with automatic number plate recognition system cameras, which may be used not just to track over-speeding, but also to detect non-wearing of helmets, seatbelts, etc. along with breath analysers to enforce against drunk driving.
As it is, the state witnessed as many as 23,191 road accidents during the period between the years 2018 and 2020, accounting for 8803 fatalities, with over-speeding being the prime cause of about 75 percent of the mishaps involving 6149 two-wheelers.
The worrying fact is that about 56 percent of the victims are in the age category of 18-35 years, which is the most productive group.
Assam transport minister Chandra Mohan Patowary on Wednesday had a video conference with all the deputy commissioners and district transport officers of respective districts and instructed them to prevent the drink and drive cases and the related casualties during the festive seasons.
According to reports, between January 2021 and October 2021, the state witnessed 6,056 accidents in which 2,446 people lost their lives.
On Tuesday, Patowary had chaired the State Road Safety Council meeting here, which was attended by representatives from Assam Police, state PWD, NHAI, NHIDCL, excise, health, education departments.
The transport minister reviewed the action taken by the stakeholders on implementation of road safety laws in the state.
The transport minister further asked NHAI, NHIDCL and state PWD to take proper steps and correct measures in respect of damaged signs, potholes, crash guards, rumble strips, etc., within February 15, 2022.
Meanwhile, ahead of New Year’s Eve, the police, transport and excise departments have intensified enforcement drives across the state against driving without helmets by both rider and pillion rider, drunken driving and over-speeding of vehicles in order to achieve zero accidents on the last day of this year.
The state government has over the past few weeks been acting tough against commuters violating traffic safety rules.
Since December 1, 2021, more than 11,000 cases of riding without helmets have been detected by the state transport department.
The transport minister also flagged off nine highly advanced traffic interceptor vehicles (TIVs) from the Assam Administrative Staff College here on Tuesday.
The newly deployed TIVs will be operational in Baksa, Dhubri, Hojai, Karbi Anglong, Morigaon, Sivasagar, Kamrup and Lakhimpur districts and also will be used by the central squad of the commissioner of transport.
Earlier, 15 TIVs were deployed and 11 speed guns were distributed for effective enforcement of traffic regulations.
Patowary appealed to the people of Assam to abide by the traffic rules to make Assam accident free and save precious lives.
“On December 31, 2020 and January 1, 2021 alone, 29 lives were lost in 69 accidents. By following all the traffic regulations, let us move towards 2022 with a pledge to make Assam roads accident-free,” Patowary said.