24 pc decline in accident rate in TN, claims minister

There has been a 24 per cent decline in road accidents in Tamil Nadu in the last one year due to various measures taken by the transport department, state minister M R Vijayabhaskar said here on Saturday.

Similarly, the number of casualties and accidents had gone down by 15 per cent, while the toll from mishaps had come down from 47 per day to 33, he told reporters on the sidelines of a Road Safety awareness programme here.

The department was taking efforts to reduce the accident rate even further, the transport minister said.

He said Chief Minister K Palanisamy had 'effectively' discussed the problems of the transport sector with the Centre.

Stating that five of the 94 amendments in the transport sector were affecting the state ownership, he said the Government has insisted on amending them further.

To a question on the higher penalty imposed for traffic violations, he said was the decision of the centre and cannot be altered.

But higher fines would help reduce accident rates, he said.

The awareness seminar was inaugurated by Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani, during which a road safety committe was also formed.