Yogi Adityanath asks UP officials to draw up action plan to prevent road mishaps

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday directed the officials to prepare an action plan with inter-departmental coordination to prevent road accidents and loss of human lives.

The chief minister, who presided over a meeting of the UP Road Safety Council at his residence, suggested that either transport or home department could be the nodal department in this endeavour and a monthly review should be held at the chief secretary level, an official release here said.

The execution of the road safety-related action plan should be reviewed after every six months, he said, asking the health department to implement the road safety programme in the manner "it executed the communicable diseases programme".

Adityanath asked for massive public participation in the road safety programme.

The number of deaths in road accidents in 2019-2020 has been three times higher than the fatalities due to Covid-19 in the state, he said.

It is, therefore, the need of the hour to prepare an inter-departmental action plan and conduct a road safety drive before Diwali, the chief minister said.

He asked to expedite integrated traffic management system (ITMS) in all selected smart cities. Moreover, the ITMS should be established in seven nagar nigams which are being developed as smart cities by the state government, he added.

He also directed to integrate 108 ambulance service with the UP Expressway Industrial Development Authority, the Yamuna Expressway Authority and the NHAI to provide timely help to road accident victims.

Adityanath further directed to check the fitness of school buses before schools reopen which are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.