A symposium on “Safer Roads/Blackspots and discussion on Plan for Rectification of Black Spots during Next One Year” was organised by Ministry of Road Transport & Highways in two sessions on 3rd & 4th February at Media Centre of Transport Bhawan, New Delhi.
Keeping the health safety concerns related to COVID-19 pandemic, the sessions were organized in hybrid mode where nine distinguished panelists representing government, academic institutions and consultants and about 20 participants joined physically and about 850 participants joined online.
Secretary Road Transport & Highways, Shri Giridhar Aramane inaugurated the symposium on 3rd February 2021. During his inaugural speech, he emphasized the need to be proactive and design roads in such a way so that accidents do not happen due to road engineering features and in case due to change in ground scenarios some road sections become vulnerable, an immediate intervention be made to save precious human life and resources. Director General Road Development Shri I. K. Pandey also endorsed these views during his keynote address and asked the participants to be vigilant on ground. He also advised all Regional Officers of the ministry that while inspecting the National Highways, they should look into the safety concern on the roads other than National Highways, make note of such issues and send it to the concerned State authority for their action. All the distinguished panelists further enlightened the participants on safety audit, design aspect of junctions, Expressways, hill roads, proper signages and safety ranking of the roads.
Unlike Road Safety Week every year, the Ministry is celebrating Road Safety Month this year from 18th January 2021 to 17th February 2021. During this period many events are being organised to review the progress made and to evolve new strategies for reduction in road accidents & fatalities.