Chandigarh (Haryana) [India]March 27 (ANI): Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday said that along with strengthening the road network in the state, several concrete steps have been taken to improve road safety.
Efforts are being made to reduce road accidents through the identification and improvement of accident-prone locations, modernisation of traffic management systems, awareness campaigns, and the use of new technologies. The Chief Minister was addressing a gathering after inaugurating a two-day national seminar on the theme ‘Road Safety Solutions’, organised by the Indian Roads Congress and the Public Works Department, Haryana, in Chandigarh on Friday.
Haryana’s Minister of Public Works and Public Health Engineering, Ranbir Gangwa, was also present on the occasion. The programme began with the Chief Minister lighting the ceremonial lamp. He also extended greetings and best wishes on the occasions of Ram Navami and Navratri. More than 350 experts, engineers, researchers, policymakers, and academicians, along with distinguished members of the Indian Roads Congress, are participating in the seminar. The two-day seminar will deliberate on various aspects related to road safety. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that the seminar is an important platform for preparing a roadmap for the country’s future. Here, ideas, technology, experience, and commitment will come together to move India forward toward becoming safe, strong, and developed.
He said that a road is not merely a physical structure; it is the lifeline of development. It connects villages to cities, farmers to markets, youth to opportunities, and the nation to progress. However, it is also a harsh reality that while roads enable development, road accidents remain a serious concern for society. Expressing serious concern over road accidents, the Chief Minister said that every year, a large number of people in India fall victim to road accidents. Behind these accidents lie broken families, unfulfilled dreams, and irreparable loss to society. Therefore, road safety is not just a technical issue but also a social, human, and moral responsibility, he said, according to a release.
He emphasised that public awareness regarding traffic rules is crucial. No matter how good the rules are, they are meaningless if they are not followed. Wearing helmets, fastening seat belts, and adhering to speed limits may seem like small actions, but they save lives. He stressed the need to increase awareness about road safety among students, youth, and all sections of society. He said that we must become more serious about this issue because road safety is life safety. The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ relies on modern, safe, and smart infrastructure. His visionary thinking, quick decision-making, and unwavering commitment to development have brought a transformation in the infrastructure sector across the country. He said that today, across the country, major infrastructure projects are progressing rapidly, whether it is metro systems, freight corridors, expressways, bridges, or port development. At the same time, road safety has been given equal importance. Development is meaningful only when it is safe. With this approach, we must build roads that are not only fast but also safe, durable, and environmentally friendly. He said that under this vision, the state government has improved 43,703 kilometres of roads over the past 11 years at a cost of Rs 28,651 crore. Additionally, 2,417 kilometres of new roads have been constructed at a cost of Rs 2,534 crore using modern technology. Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, 2,432 kilometres of roads have been constructed at a cost of Rs 1,077 crore. The government has addressed the issue of railway crossings by constructing overbridges and underpasses.
Out of 759 railway crossings in the state, 592 are manned, and 167 are automatic. Over the past 11 years, 97 overbridges and underpasses have been constructed at a cost of around Rs 2,000 crore. The government has approved 21 new national highways in Haryana, out of which 12 have already been completed. Over the past 11 years, 1,719 kilometres of national highways have been constructed at a cost of Rs 28,582 crore, ensuring that every district in the state is now connected to the national highway network. The Chief Minister said that the government has installed 128 advanced cameras on National Highway 44 from Kundli in Sonipat to Shambhu in Ambala, monitored from a central control room in Karnal. As a result, 4,80,000 electronic challans have been issued over the past year for speeding vehicles. The government has also launched the Sanjaya application in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, which helps in managing road accident data and analysis to reduce accidents. (ANI)
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