Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 17 March 2025
Road accidents and the resultant fatalities and injuries remain a serious concern for both the Government of India and the Andaman & Nicobar Administration. In a concerted effort to enhance road safety awareness among citizens, the Transport Department organized a day-long Road Safety Awareness Camp at Ograbraj on March 13. The event also facilitated doorstep service delivery for various transport-related services. The camp was held with the active participation of the Mithakhari and Tushnabad Panchayats.
The Road Safety Awareness Camp-cum-‘Parivahan Vibhag Aapke Dwar’ initiative was inaugurated by Dr. Jatinder Sohal, Director of Transport, at the Community Hall in Ograbraj village. The event witnessed the participation of local residents from Mithakhari, Tushnabad, Ferrargunj, Tirur, Collinpur, and neighbouring villages.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Sohal commended the enthusiasm of students and other attendees in learning about road safety laws. He stressed the importance of careful and defensive riding, particularly for youngsters using two-wheelers, which account for the majority of road accidents and fatalities. He urged all road users to follow traffic laws diligently to ensure safer roads.
Dr. Sohal also highlighted the administration’s objective of bringing essential services to citizens’ doorsteps. He emphasized that road safety initiatives would only be effective with the active participation of all stakeholders, including the public.
Guest of honour Mr. Mohammed Aslam, Retired DySP, shed light on common traffic violations and their underlying causes. Pradhan of Mithakhari Panchayat, Mr. Mohammed Shafique, and Pradhan of Tushnabad Panchayat, Mr. Anand Amrit Raj, appreciated the Transport Department’s efforts in promoting road safety awareness.
Additionally, the Medical Officer of PHC Tushnabad stressed the importance of immediate medical attention for road accident victims during the ‘golden hour’ to save lives. He also outlined basic first-aid procedures for attending to accident victims. Mr. Basit Ali, Motor Vehicle Inspector from the Transport Department, presented data on past road accidents, analyzed their causes, and suggested preventive measures to curb such incidents.
Earlier, Deputy Director (Transport), Mr. B. Binoy, welcomed the gathering and provided insights into the ongoing Road Safety Campaign. He emphasized the significance of adhering to road safety practices in daily life.
As part of the event, a quiz competition on road safety was conducted, with teams from five Panchayats participating enthusiastically. The program concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Mr. Somasekharan Pillai, Assistant Engineer, STS Ferrargunj.
The camp proved to be highly beneficial for the participants, as 174 individuals successfully cleared the learner’s test and obtained learner’s licenses. Additionally, several citizens availed themselves of registration and driving license-related services provided at the camp. (Story Based on PR)