Mega drive to check unsafe school transport

Varanasi: Divisional commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma has issued strict directives to initiate measures to ensure safe transport for school children through check on overloading and use of pressure horns and hooters.
Reviewing progress in implementation of directives issued during previous meeting of the divisional road safety committee at his office on Saturday evening, the commissioner also sought clarification from the PWD executive engineer for not taking remedial action at nine identified black spots, where accidents occurred repeatedly.To check overcrowding in school vehicles, the commissioner said notices would be issued against vehicles as well as guardians for endangering children's lives by allowing more children than the capacity in the school vehicles.
While going through the statistics and analysis of road accidents in the Varanasi division, which showed reduction in road accidents by 0.35%, fatalities by 0.43%, and injuries by 0.28% by Aug 2024 compared to 2023, the commissioner asked to initiate all necessary measures in line with UP govt's goal to reduce fatalities by 50% by 2030. An analysis and review of corrective actions on black spots, illegal cuts on road dividers and other causes of accident on roads were conducted, with instructions to provide photographic evidence of actions taken on identified black spots and illegal cuts in the next meeting.
Clarification was sought from the PWD executive engineer for inaction on nine identified black spots and the department was warned that if no corrective action at such black spots was taken within three days, proceedings for suspension will be initiated. Reflective tape and diversion boards should be installed on all dividers and large vehicles should be restricted on service lanes. Reflective tape should also be applied to identified black spots in the Harhua area within a week and failure to manage them properly will result in suspension action against the relevant National Highway Authority official, the commissioner said.
Raj asked to launch a special drive to inspect 80,000 registered two-wheelers in the city within a week and to remove pressure horns and destroy them on the spot. He also asked for action against its sellers.
A directive was issued to appoint nodal officers at each toll plaza for strict enforcement of actions against overloaded vehicles at the ‘Weigh-in-Motion' system. He said, asking officials who failed to control overloading despite continuous directives should be ready to face the music. He also asked to check drivers and if found unfit their driving licences be cancelled.
He also asked for effective traffic management, parking arrangements, removal of illegal encroachments and restriction of unauthorised bus/tempo-taxi stands in urban areas. The transport department was instructed to implement the Good Samaritan scheme with traffic police, which provides a cash reward of ₹5,000 to those helping injured individuals.
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Public transport vehicles over 4 yrs old banned from VMC limit
Varanasi: The 113th meeting of the regional transport authority was held to discuss various agendas, including vehicle owners' operations in rural areas, Chakia-Jamui and Ashapur-Balua routes, Babatpur area and buses towards Ghazipur, and vehicle permits. RTA chairman and divisional commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma ordered to permit vehicles up to 20 years old to operate outside the Varanasi Municipal Corporation limits. Public transport vehicles up to four years after registration will operate inside VMC limits. He asked for strict compliance with parking zones and stands and route-wise movement of public transport vehicles.