Training for road safety gets underway

SHILLONG, FEB 4: A training programme on safety aspects related to vehicle and road was conducted by the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) at Hotel Polo Towers on Wednesday. The programme is sponsored by Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), Government of India which is designed for the officers who are actually implementing or making policy decisions on the provisions of law on day to day basis in north eastern states.

Addressing the gathering as chief guest at the inaugural function, Meghalaya additional chief secretary KS Kropha said that death caused by road accidents is a matter of great concern in the context of Meghalaya. Therefore, he felt the need of implementing modern traffic management systems and practices, improved safety standards in design, construction, operation and maintenance of roads and production and maintenance of safer vehicles in the region.

Lamenting on the fact that most of the drivers especially of commercial transport do not have valid license and driving etiquette, Kropha directed the concerned authority to strictly adhere to the rules and regulations of the Motor Vehicle Act. He also stressed on the need to organize training and awareness programme for drivers to make them aware about road safety. \

Programme director SN Dhole informed that the training programme is specially designed to provide an insight into the multi-sectoral and multi-dimensional subjects of road safety including orderly development and management of roads, provision of safer vehicles and road and comprehensive response to accidents. He further mentioned that safety is different in the plains and hilly areas, so different approach in relation to these topographical conditions has to be adopted.

The officials of Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Transport Department Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala , Rajasthan and Delhi Transport Corporation including Police Departments from Nagaland, Jharkhand, Motor Vehicle Department and Municipal Corporation attended the programme.

Later, in the technical session, the participants were enlightened about the technical aspects of CMV technical rules Vehicle Certification and an open discussion on road safety issues while issues in road accident – road & human error perspective, other safety provisions for passengers and pedestrians safety, technical visit to accident spots, etc. will be discussed on 5^th and 6^th February respectively.

IW Ingty, Meghalaya transport commissioner, Wilfred Nongseij, Managing Director, Meghalaya Transport Corporation, and P Kakade, Programme Director (CIRT), were also present at the function.- By Our Reporter