OCT – NOV 2021
Partner Updates
Road Safety Network applauds the issuance of the National Road Safety Board Rules
The National Road Safety Board is a much needed institute that can help to provide technically sound, evidence-based and data-driven advice to the Governments (both Central and States) and ensure that our standards, policies and investments are effective in bringing down the tremendous road crash trauma in the country. RSN also requested the Ministry to prioritize the process for the creation of the National Road Safety Board to speed up efforts to save precious lives on our roads and meet their resolution to halve road fatalities by 2025. Find more details in the letter.
National Study on Safe Commute to School
SaveLIFE Foundation in partnership with Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI), released a study titled “National Study on Safe Commute to School” on 7th October 2021, to shed light on the impediments to road safety of children, especially during commute to and from school everyday.
The study conducted after the outbreak of CoVID19 pandemic throughout the world, analyses responses from 11,845 respondents, including 5,711 children (of classes 6-12) and 6,134 parents (with children in classes 1-12) across 14 cities in India with the intent of gathering insights across age-groups and geographies to inform how we can improve the road safety of children while they commute to school. The cities surveyed include Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chennai, Delhi, Jaipur, Jamshedpur, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Patna, Pune, and Vijayawada.
Among many other significant findings, the study reveals that 30% of the children covered in the survey witnessed a road crash while commuting to school, and 6% were involved in a road crash themselves. About 47% of the surveyed respondents using school transport admitted to their school vehicles not being equipped with seat belts, 30% of the respondents reported the absence of a footpath at the school zone, 26% of the children using privately arranged transport claimed that they witnessed rash driving during their commute. The report was released digitally on SLF’s website. It was a successful release that garnered high scale media traction with coverage from over 60 newspaper and digital media forums such as The Times of India, Hindustan Times, Mumbai Live, and so on.
Road Safety in Tamil Nadu requires streamlined action – Perspectives from Tirunelveli and Thiruvarur
Reduction of road crashes and fatalities at the state and district levels has been prioritised and led by a series of steady efforts channelized through institutional changes, data-driven approaches and improved law enforcement in Tamil Nadu since 2017. Therefore, it’s crucial to understand the road safety scenario, its progress, success factors and the challenges in implementation at the decentralised district levels to sustain road safety achievements. CAG, in collaboration with Mr. Ramesh from Tiruvarur and Dr.Ganapathy Subramanian from Tirunelveli conducted a webinar in the last week of September 2021 titled ‘Road Safety in Tamil Nadu – Perspectives from Tirunelveli and Thiruvarur Districts’, to facilitate understanding of the various challenges faced in the 2 districts by the government and how key stakeholders – the government departments, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and the general public – can work together to build on the State’s efforts in contributing to road safety. A detailed account of the programme can be found here.
‘Two Years of MVAA: Opportunities, Challenges and Way Forward’
CUTS organised a daylong consultation in Bengaluru on September 23, 2021 in collaboration with Public Affairs Foundation, Bengaluru. In the meeting Transport Commissioner, Dr B.R Ravikanthe Gowda, IPS, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Sri R. P. Kulkarni, Chief Project Officer, PWD/ State Highways, Bengaluru, Dr G Gururaj, Chairperson of the Vision Group on Health & Family Welfare and Medical Education Department, Government of Karnataka, Dr Ravi Gadepalli, Consultant with World Bank & UITP, Srinivas Alavilli, Head – Civic Participation, Janaagraha, along with media, Road Safety activists and CSO representatives also took part.
Parisar writes to opposition leaders in Maharashtra for compounding notification
In continuation with advocacy efforts, Parisar has written letters to oppositions leaders and prominent MLAs to advocate the implementation of thw Motor Vehicles Amendment Act 2019 in Maharashtra.
Read the letters here.
Rajasthan Transport Minister endorsed the demand of road safety experts, to establish Road Safety Authority and to enact Child Road Safety and Trauma Care Policy
Road safety experts from the State demanded for earliest formation of road safety authority in Rajasthan for effective coordination between various departments and effective enforcement of road safety act, rules, plans and programs. Shri Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, Transport Minister who delivered the inaugural address as a chief guest endorsed the demands and said that state government will do the needful to ensure road safety in Rajasthan including formation of Road Safety Authority, Child Road Safety Policy and Trauma Care policy. He further said that there is a need of making the central and state rules and regulations people’s friendly and practical, so that these are easy to enforce. He mentioned that national highways should be safer and more safety measures are needed to save lives of people. He called upon the road safety experts to come forward with innovative suggestions for ensuring road safety in State of Rajasthan.
Road Safety Stakeholders’ Workshop held in Nagpur
A road safety stakeholders’ meet was jointly organised by the Parisar and Yuwa Daud Manch organization under the RSN umbrella on 24th October 2021. The workshop was inaugurated by Justice Abhijeet Deshmukh, President of District Legal Service Authority and delivered an inaugural speech underlining the need for legal perspective in road safety. The inaugural session was also attended by Ex- Mayor of Nagpur city, DCP Traffic Nagpur along with Mr Ranjit Gadgil, Parisar. Find more details of the workshop here.
State level Stakeholder Consultation on Enforcement of MVAA 2019 held in Uttar Pradesh
A state-level stakeholders consultation was organised in Lucknow ,Uttar Pradesh by Consumer Guild with Consumer VOICE to strengthen road safety to discuss “Diligent Enforcement Of MVAA 201919 For Saving Lives On Roads”
The guest experts who joined were Shri P.S Satyarthi, Deputy Transport Commissioner (Road Safety), Shri Raghvendra Kumar Mishra, ACP Lucknow ( Central) , Dr. Satish, Assistant Professor, KGMU, Lucknow, Shri J.P Pandey, Traffic Inspector, Lucknow , Shri Mohit Singh, BIS Lucknow, Ms. Rinki Sharma, Consumer VOICE, Shri Pradeep Singh, Dr. Neeraj Gupta joined the workshop besides road safety experts ,representatives of consumer organisations, advocates and media persons. Main points of discussion were including road safety scenario ,challenges, perceptions of common people towards MVAA 2019, gaps identified and how road safety strengthening can be taken forward with collaborative efforts.
Workshop held in Bhopal for fast implementation of MVAA 2019
Chief Guest, Shri Ramji Shrivastava, Superintendent of Police (Bhopal), Dr. S.K. Saxena, Senior Surgical Specialist & Civil Surgeon and Former Medical Adviser to Human Rights Commission, Dr Rahul Tiwari, Assistant Professor of Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Dr Pradip Nandi, Director General NCHSE and Shri Hemant Upadhyay, Advisor, Consumer VOICE joined and discussion took place regarding road safety scenario in Madhya Pradesh.
‘Strengthening Road Safety, to Save Precious Lives on Roads in West Bengal’ -workshop held in Kolkata
Honcho Tech For Good Foundation organised a workshop supported by Consumer VOICE in Kolkata where experts discussed improving road safety in the state.
The workshop was joined by dignitaries including Shri Arindam Mani (WBCS, EXE) Addl. Secretary Transport Department, Govt of WB, Smt Santi Sen Das (WBPS), Addl. Special Superintendent, WB Police, Shri Priyanjan Das (WBCS, EXE) Dy. Managing Director, WB Transport Corporation, Dr. Abhik Ghosh, Senior Consultant ENT & Head Neck Surgeon, Apollo Hospitals Kolkata, Secretary, Protect The Warriors; Secretary, IMA Salt Lake City, Shri Swapnomoy Chakraborty, Renowned Bengali Novelist, Shri Indranil Dasgupta, Director social Initiatives, Honcho, and Shri Ashim Sanyal, COO, Consumer VOICE where experts discussed challenges and how to strengthen road safety in the state and MVAA 2019 Introduction was also done.
Road Safety Network (RSN) is a national coalition of NGOs, CSO, educational institutions, road safety experts striving for safer roads.
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