Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre, chairman of the Supreme Court-appointed Road Safety Committee, has said Indore has been included among districts targeted to become 'Zero Fatality' districts.
Sapre said districts with high fatality rates were identified based on road accident data from the last five years. Initially, Dhar, Khargone, Rewa, Satna, Sagar and Jabalpur were included. With Indore, Bhopal and Ujjain now added, nine districts are targeted to become Zero Fatality Districts.
He emphasised that 'Zero Fatality' is more than a declaration and requires creating an environment where not a single person loses their life in a road accident.
This requires coordinated action among all relevant departments, including police, Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC), Public Works Department (PWD), Transport Department and Health Department.
Sapre was addressing a meeting of the Indore District Road Safety Committee at the AICTSL City Bus Office.
Officials briefed the meeting on road safety initiatives in the district and made detailed presentations on identification and rectification of 'black spots' (accident-prone zones).
The meeting was attended by officials from departments associated with road safety, including IMC commissioner Kshitij Singhal, traffic DCP Rajesh Tripathi, Smart City CEO Arth Jain, additional collector Navjeevan Vijay Pawar and Rinkesh Vaishya.
Sapre stressed the importance of including rapidly developing Indore in the Zero Fatality campaign, along with Ujjain, significant for its religious and tourism importance and influx of pilgrims and tourists, and Bhopal, the state capital.
Walking is a fundamental right of citizens: Sapre
Citing recent Supreme Court orders, Sapre said walking safely on the road is a fundamental right of citizens.
He said government agencies could be held accountable if an accident occurs due to a lack of footpaths or safe pathways for pedestrians.
Key directives given by Justice Sapre
Effective enforcement of wearing helmet: Mandatory helmet use for two-wheeler riders must be strictly enforced, with action against violators in accordance with rules.
Run special campaigns in schools and colleges: Road safety awareness campaigns should be conducted in all schools and colleges to cultivate the habit of wearing helmets among students.
No entry without a helmet: Helmets should be mandatory for students arriving at schools and colleges on two-wheelers.
Compliance by teachers and staff: The helmet rule should also cover teachers, employees and other staff arriving on two-wheelers.
