New Delhi, Jun 18 (IANS): Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, in a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has urged him to work in association with the India Chapter of the International Road federation (IRF), a Geneva based global body working for better and safer road networks to make the highways and state roads more safer by reducing number of road accidents and resulting fatalities.
"Road accidents and resulting fatalities in India is an exceedingly serious problem and Uttar Pradesh is amongst one of the hardest hit State in the country. There is an urgent need to work in a coordinated manner to improve the scenario of road safety by bringing all stakeholders from all levels of governance," said Gadkari in his letter to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.
"The IRF India chapter plans to undertake a comprehensive study and measures based on 4Es including Engineering, Education, Enforcement and Emergency care, which will be undertaken under a separate programme with the assistance of the state government," said Gadkari.
K.K. Kapila, President (Emeritus), International Road Federation (IRF) and Chairman and Managing Director of Intercontinental Consultants and Technocrats (ICT), the Authority's Engineer for the upcoming Bundelkhand Expressway in the State gave a detailed presentation to the nodal agency Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) on various steps being taken to make Bundelkhand Expressway the safest Four lane Expressway in the country as it is based on the concept of 'Forgiving Road' which has been incorporated in planning and design, which are under implementation.
"UPEIDA is taking all safety measures as per Indian Road Congress guidelines including road safety audits on all Expressways being built in the State of Uttar Pradesh. The Greenfield Purvanchal Express is all set to be opened for traffic in July this year. We appreciate and welcome cooperation from IRF to make our highways better for safer mobility," said Awanish Awasthi, CEO, UPEIDA while speaking on the occasion.
IRF will undertake tasks on the concept of 5Es - Engineering of Roads, Engineering of Vehicles, Education, Enforcement and Emergency Care.
"IRF under Road Safety Engineering would undertake Safety assessment of the project road corridor (stage V Safety Audit), Crash/Accident Data Collection for identifying Blackspots and Hazardous locations, Blackspot analysis and development of countermeasures, detailed engineering design for the countermeasures and assist the States Government to implement these corrections,'' said Kapila.
''Our efforts in the area of Engineering of Vehicles would basically include Policy Advocacy for enforcing mandatory safety features in vehicles, both retrofitting and in new vehicles such as Conspicuity of bicycles, trucks, tractors, trolleys, etc., fitment of FUPD, SUPD, RUPD, Alcolocks, ABS in two wheelers, etc. Other mandatory enforcement issues such as seat belts, helmets, etc. would also be tackled under this E to align Transport Mobility with the Roads," said Kapila.