TIRUCHY: The Transport Department of the State has directed all Regional Transport Offices to ensure road safety and to create a comprehensive database, so as to take up precautionary measures to reduce the number of fatalities on road.
According to the department’s statistics, Tamil Nadu has witnessed the highest number of road accidents last year, numbering 69,059, of which the fatalities reported were 15,642.
“Ever since the road accident statistics was released last year, several measures are being taken up to reduce the number of accidents,” said a transport official.
The transport department officials, who were earlier into monitoring accidents and traffic data, are to exclusively work towards prevention of road accidents and ensuring road safety.
As per an order issued by Transport Department Commissioner Satyabrata Sahoo on November 18, a consultant, who has to be a retired officer from any of the departments, such as Transport, Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, Police or Institute of Road Safety Studies, is to be appointed to assist the Road Safety Commissioner on Road Safety measures.
His responsibilities include resource allocation planning, creation of comprehensive data base, assisting the commissioner in dealing with road safety works on a day-to-day basis, auditing fatal accidents, finding preventive measures and sending status reports regularly.
Speaking to Express, a senior transport official with the Regional Transport Office said, “All the works that are to be carried out by the consultant used to be done by the transport officials earlier. However, too much administrative work had brought down the emphasis on precautionary measures.” Once the consultant is appointed, the department will regain the lost focus, the official added.
The police officials had erected barricades all through Tiruchy-Chennai bypass roads and had conducted workshops to sensitise public on the importance of wearing helmets while riding.