Administration Alert on Road Safety

Hoshiarpur / Daljeet Ajnoha/Dec.10 : With the increased risk of road accidents due to dense fog in the district, the district administration has become fully vigilant. On Wednesday, Deputy Commissioner Ashika Jain held a meeting at the district administrative complex with officials from various departments to review compliance with Punjab and Haryana High Court orders. The meeting involved extensive discussions on road safety based on directives received from the Director General of the Lead Agency for Road Safety.The Deputy Commissioner emphasized that foggy conditions significantly reduce visibility, multiplying the chances of road accidents. She stressed the need for departments to work with heightened alertness and coordination. Key instructions were issued regarding clearing unwanted vegetation along roadsides, removing hazardous obstructions, activating non-functioning traffic signals, ensuring school bus safety, safeguarding railway crossings, securing construction zones, availability of emergency services, and enhancing the visibility of barricades.She directed the use of MGNREGA workforce to promptly complete roadside cleaning and slope maintenance. All inactive traffic signals must be immediately operationalized, while dangerous areas must be equipped with retro-reflective tape, warning indicators, and safety signs. Construction sites are required to display warning signs and diversion boards in accordance with IRC standards.Addressing school bus safety, the Deputy Commissioner instructed the Education Department, Transport Department, and Traffic Police to conduct joint inspections and strictly enforce the “Safe School Vehicle Policy.” Clear orders were also issued to prevent unauthorized parking of trucks on highways, control stray animals, increase monitoring of crop residue burning, and deploy police personnel at accident-prone black spots. She also said that special attention must be paid to weather conditions before approving any large religious or social gatherings during foggy days.Deputy Commissioner Ashika Jain reiterated that road safety remains the highest priority of the administration. She directed all departments to rigorously adhere to the High Court’s instructions and to work with full readiness to safeguard citizens throughout the fog season.The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Amarbeer Kaur, SP Manpreet Sihmar, RTO Amandeep Kaur, DDPO Sandeep Singh, Executive Engineer of Public Works Department Gurmeet Singh, ARTO Sandeep Bharti, and other senior officials.