CHENNAI: Transport Commissioner Shunchonngam Jatak Chiru on Tuesday said e-challans issued by traffic police worth of Rs 2,800 crore remain unpaid in the state, even as the Tamil Nadu government is studying the methods followed by states like Kerala and Odisha in collecting penalty for traffic violations from motorists.
He also noted that the TN government is planning to establish a road safety authority to implement a comprehensive state-wide strategy to enhance road safety in the state.
The transport commissioner was speaking at a multi-stakeholders’ workshop organised by the Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group (CAG) to develop a State Road Safety Action Plan.
Pointing out the gap between policy and implementation, Chiru urged stakeholders to focus on practical solutions and assured that the government is committed to making roads safer.
According to statistics, Tamil Nadu recorded 18,347 road fatalities last year, including 504 deaths in Chennai alone. Although the state was one of the first in the country to introduce a Road Safety Policy in 2007, experts stress on the need for an updated and structured plan to meet India’s goal of reducing road accident deaths by 50% by 2030.
Nidhi Singh, Additional Commissioner for Road Safety in Rajasthan, explained how her state (Rajasthan) developed its Road Safety Action Plan step by step.
Similarly, Krishnan Srinivasan, Senior Transport Consultant at the World Bank, pointed to case studies from Chennai and Assam, showing how data-driven strategies and a safe system approach can effectively reduce accidents.
In a positive sign of collaboration, Rajasthan has also adopted Tamil Nadu’s emergency care protocol for road accident victims, demonstrating how states can learn from each other’s best practices.