Lucknow, Jun 13 (PTI): Road safety norms should be made a part of the syllabus, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath suggested today as he lamented that a large number of accidents were occurring due to traffic rule violations. He also directed the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) and other departments to formulate plans to ensure safe travel.
"It is a matter of concern that every day we see that due to the violation of traffic norms, accidents are taking place," Adityanath said. It should be seen as too "how road safety norms can be made a part of the syllabus" so that ordinary citizens can be made more aware, he said.
"The accidents which are happening, are taking place due to lack of awareness about traffic rules. UPSRTC and other departments working in the field of road transport should formulate plans to ensure passengers enjoy safe journey," he said. He was speaking at the signing of an agreement between the transport departments of UP and Rajasthan here today.
Adityanath's comments come in the backdrop of several major accidents taking place in UP in recent days. On June 5, 25 passengers were charred to death and many others were injured when a bus collided head-on with a truck and burst into flames on National Highway 24 in Bareilly.
In another accident on June 11, ten people, including five women, of a family drowned after their car fell into a canal at Makera area in Mathura. Scores of other accidents have also taken place. Speaking at the event here, Adityanath said the agreement between the transport departments of UP and Rajasthan would help in strengthening the cultural roots.
The agreement will improve the connectivity Delhi-Jaipur, Ajmer-Haridwar-Meerut, Bikaner, Ganganagar, Jodhpur, Aligarh, Firozabad, Kota, Bhilwara, Bareilly, Rupaidiah, Sawai Madhopur, Alwar and other places, he said. "This will strengthen the political and cultural roots of the country," he said.
"Can there be any resident of Uttar Pradesh, who will not be interested in associating himself with the soil of Mewar. At the same time, can there be any resident of Rajasthan who will not be curious to come to the oldest city in the world Kashi (Varanasi) and Prayag (Allahabad) and also have a glimpse of 'Ram Lalla' in Ayodhya and witness the 'Leela' of Lord Krishna in Mathura," Adityanath said.
He said that whenever there is a strain in the inter- state ties, it is the people who are most affected. The job of the government is to work for the welfare of the public and not indulge in populist measures, he said. Referring to Aadi Shankaracharya, the chief minister said, "A saint from Kerala established a 'sanskritikpeeth' (cultural bench) in the four corners of the country. This is the strength of our country. Transportation provides strength to our cultural roots."
Adityanath also mentioned that a part of the 'chaurasikosi parikrama' lies in Rajasthan. The 'chaurasikosi parikrama' refers to a circumambulatory trek across several religious places.
Adityanath said that he had spoken to Union minister Nitin Gadkari about the comprehensive development of the Braj region of UP comprising seven districts -- Agra, Mathura, Firozabad, Aligarh, Etah, Hathras and Kasganj. "The state government will build a new circuit for the development of the region," he said.