AHMEDABAD: Almost three years after the Gujarat Road Safety Authority (GujROSA) Act, 2018, was passed in the state assembly, the authority was constituted in the latter half of December 2020, with the appointment of executive committee members. L P Padalia, a retired IAS officer of the Gujarat cadre, has been appointed as its first head.
Experts said that after Kerala, Gujarat became the second state in India to establish the authority that will work as a bridge between various arms of the government. The primary mandate of the body is to ensure the 4Es of road safety: Engineering, Enforcement, Education, Environment & Emergency Services.
Padalia said that the authority is committed to reducing road traffic accidents and fatalities in the state through collective efforts.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, Gujarat in 2019 had recorded the deaths of 7,428 persons in 16,503 accidents, whereas 15,976 persons were reported injured. The criticism over the official response had often pointed to the fact that the departments — ranging from roads & buildings to police — think in silos when it comes to issues related to roads. The sticking point was jurisdiction and control over various parts of the roads.
“But with the authority in place, we are hopeful that there will be better coordination and cohesive planning in both the urban areas with high traffic density and on the highways where the fatalities are more,” said a member who did not wish to be named. “Citizens can also approach district-level committees or the authority directly about their issues.”
Amit Khatri, who is part of the executive committee, said that with members from almost all possible stakeholding sections in the body, it will be easier now to understand the issues of road safety. Implementing a uniform policy will also be facilitated, Khatri said.