Warning Transport department officials, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that they could not escape from their responsibility by blaming drivers for accidents and the department needed changes on a war footing.
“This government cannot allow the officials to play with the lives of the people,” the Chief Minister said during a review meeting with Transport officials here on Thursday.
Expressing displeasure over the frequent road accidents on Yamuna Expressway, the Chief Minister said that the officials could not escape from their responsibility by blaming the drivers.
“Officials should go for thorough medical check-up of Roadways drivers and there should be two drivers on busses running on more than 400-km routes,” he said.
Yogi also stressed on verification of licences of drivers and breathalyser test of drivers before they embarked on long routes and on completion of the journey.
The Chief Minister directed the officials of JP Infratech present in the meeting to make all arrangements for security and safety of the commuters as this was their responsibility since they were collecting the toll tax. He asked JP Infratech to follow the 13 suggestions for road safety prescribed by IIT Delhi.
“If the standards are not followed properly, the Yamuna Expressway officials must take stern action against the company,” the Chief Minister said.
Yogi said buses without permit should not be allowed to pass through UP and the officials of Yamuna Express-way Authority should ensure this. He warned that if anyone violated the law, stern action would be taken against the violator.
Yogi said to ensure the safety of schoolchildren, fitness test of all school buses should be done along with police verification of the drivers, before the session starts. If necessary, the RTO office should remain open on holidays for this, he added. Yogi said only those buses that pass the test should be given permission for run on road.
Focusing on road safety rules, the Chief Minister said that stern action should be taken against the vehicles having blue-black film on their glasses. He also said that there should be zero tolerance towards use of seat belts and helmets.
Yogi directed the expressway, NHAI and state highway authorities to improve facilities on highways. ”There should be adequate number of petrol pumps and system of e-challan should be improved,” the Chief Minister said.
He added that all district magistrates should hold meeting on road safety with the departments concerned every month. He said the Chief Secretary would review these meetings on monthly basis.
The Chief Minister asked the Information, Transport and Traffic departments to conduct road safety drives every three months. He said arrangements should be made to check over-speeding. He said highway patrolling vehicles should be deployed on highways along with Dial 100 vehicles, and proper training should be given to ambulance staff.
The Chief Minister would review the implementation of the decisions taken in Thursday’s meeting in the first week of August.
Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma, Medical Education Minister Ashutosh Tandon, Industrial Development Minister Satish Mahana, Minister of State for Transport (Independent Charge) Swatantra Dev Singh, and Chief Secretary Anup Chandra Pandey were present in the meeting.
