DC Kupwara reviews road safety measures, traffic management

STATE TIMES NEWS

KUPWARA: Deputy Commissioner Kupwara, Shrikant Suse, chaired the District Road Safety Committee (DRSC) meeting here in his office chamber to review road safety measures and traffic management across the district.
On the occasion, the DC directed enforcement agencies to ramp up on-ground checks and take stringent action against violators, particularly targeting underage and teenage driving, overloading, and overspeeding.
Traffic police was? instructed to increase surprise inspections, deploy more personnel at critical junctions and market areas, while municipal councils and the revenue department conduct frequent anti-encroachment drives to alleviate congestion.
Extensive awareness campaigns were called for in schools and colleges, aimed at students, youth, and commercial drivers, to be carried out by the ARTO, Traffic Police, and Chief Education Officer.
The meeting also covered progress on school bus audits, driving school inspections by ARTO, road safety audits on hilly roads and highways by PWD/PMGSY and BEACON, black spot identification and rectification, curve improvements, timely road repairs, signage at blind curves, and full safety compliance.
For emergency response, the DC emphasized strategic ambulance deployment at accident-prone spots and readiness of health institutions. Detailed discussions held on proposals sent by various departments under the Road Safety Action Plan to enhance infrastructure and medical care, with a focus on iRAD portal-listed hotspots.
Discussions also held regarding PM-Road Accident Victims Hospitalization and Assured Treatment (PM-RAHAT) Scheme, aiming to provide timely medical aid to the road accident victims. Scheme ensures cashless treatment up to Rs 1.5 lakh per victim in designated hospitals during the critical “Golden Hour”, covering up to 7 days from the accident date, thereby ensuring immediate medical care and significantly improving the chances of survival.
SSP Kupwara, SSP Handwara, SE R&B, ACD, CEO, CMO, ARTO Kupwara, Executive Engineers (PWD), EO MC, and other officials attended the meeting.