Punjab Transport Minister Ajit Singh Kohar today directed various state departments to take precautionary measures, ensuring the safety of commuters and avoid traffic accidents due to foggy weather during winter.
Stating this here today, the minister said that during winters, when the visibility is low due to weather conditions, the number of road accidents increases which can be prevented by taking simple measures.
Kohar directed all district transport officers to ensure that vehicles such as tractor-trolleys, rickshaws, cycles etc that have no lights must be made to have reflectors so that they may be visible to others on the road.
Such commuters are at a very high risk of fatality and incidents involving vehicles with no lights are very high during this time of the year. Such accidents could be prevented with the help of enforcing mandatory reflectors on these vehicles, he said.
Kohar has further instructed the Public Works Department to put up signage, informational hoardings and milestones for the safety of the public.
He has asked officers concerned to ensure that wherever there is any road repair/construction going on, warning sign ages must be placed.
Also, for bridges that do not have any railings, especially in rural areas and along canal banks, an iron or concrete fencing must be built on priority, he said.
All traffic and police officers have been asked to ensure that traffic rules are followed and are enforced strictly.
The officers have been instructed to take serious action against violators, especially those drunken driving, over-speeding or that park/stop on flyovers and elevated roads, he said.
Offences like overloading of merchandise in transport vehicles or people in buses or autos will not be spared and will be challaned heavily or worse, he said.
In addition, he said that measures would be taken to educate people of traffic rules, especially the youth and children in schools through seminars and programs.
He has also proposed that such information be included in the syllabus for students.
