British Deputy High Commissioner in Hyderabad, Andrew Fleming, flagged off a motorbike rally of the members of Telangana Jagruthi as part of MP K. Kavitha’s campaign Sisters4Change to bring about awareness on road safety among bike users.
Kieran Drake, Minister Councillor, head of politics and press in British High Commission, MLC V.G. Goud, MLAs Bajireddy Govardhan and Bigala Ganesh Gupta, Mayor Akula Sujatha, TRS youth leader Bajireddy Jagan, N. Sudhakar and others participated at the inaugural here on Wednesday. About 100 bikers wearing helmet went round the city as part of the campaign.
Road accidents
The Sisters4Change, a brainchild of Ms. Kavitha, was launched following the high rate of road accidents and casualties in the country. As per the study conducted by the Transport Research Wing (TRW) of the Ministry of Road Transports and Highways released in 2017, it was reported that in 2016, the total number of road accidents was 4.80 lakh, in which 4.94 lakh sustained injuries.
Over 1.50 lakh persons died in an average of 1,317 accidents apart from 413 accidental deaths every day. In other words, 55 accidents and 17 deaths occurred every hour. A fifth of those deaths happened due to non-usage of helmets, the study said.
Visit to Dichpally
Earlier, the British High Commission officers visited the Quilla Ramalayam at Dichpally. Priests welcomed them with poornakumbham. On the occasion, Mr. Fleming stressed the need for protecting the temple heritage.
The visiting dignitaries also planted saplings on the premises of Social Welfare Residential High School cum Junior College at Dharmaram.
Political and Economic Advisor in British High Commission Nalini Raghuraman, Collector M. Ram Mohan Rao and the U.K. Jagruthi president Suman Rao Balmuri were also present.