'Police have role in reducing accidents'

Additional Commissioner for Transport Narendra Holkar addresses a training programme on Motor Vehicle Act 1998, organised at the Office of Superintendent of Police in Mysuru on Saturday. Mysuru (East) RTO K S Soundarya is seen. 

Additional Commissioner for Transport Narendra Holkar addresses at two-day training programme on Motor Vehicle act 1998, organised at the Office of Superintendent of Police, in Mysuru, on Saturday. Mysuru (East) RTO K S Soundarya is seen.

Additional Commissioner for Transport Narendra Holkar, on Saturday, said that the enforcement staff of Motor Vehicle Acts, including the police, play a huge role in reducing the rate of accidents and thus, the officials should have extensive knowledge about them.

Holkar was addressing the Transport and Police department officials and staff during the two-day training programme on Motor Vehicle Act 1998, organised at the Office of the Superintendent of Police in the city.

"The officials and staff working in the field are the persons regulating the traffic and avoiding accidents. You must have extended knowledge about the Acts. Motor Vehicle Acts are being amended in recent years and many officials and staff need to gain more knowledge about the amendments, as per a survey," he said.

Faculty from the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) Ashok Shinde, who conducted a session on Motor Vehicle Act, 1998, said, "As per the Supreme Court directions, the rate of accidents must be reduced by 10% every year and it is a Herculean job."

11K die on road

According to him, approximately 11,000 people in Karnataka die on roads, due to accidents. As many as 1.5 lakh people die in the country every year. Reducing 10% fatal accidents is a Herculean job, he said.

PWD plays a role

Shinde said that besides the Police and Transport departments, PWD is a major stakeholder in road safety it has the responsibility to maintain roads.

He said that the condition of the vehicle, driver, and roads are the three important factors to reduce the rate of accidents. "The authorities have to focus on the three things primarily. They should have a good hold on driving schools. The school should produce good skilled and talented drivers. Thus, the schools must have well-trained drivers and well-maintained vehicles," he said.

Mysuru (East) Regional Transport Officer K S Soundarya said, "Unless people follow traffic rules, it is difficult to reduce road accidents. People’s support is needed to ensure road safety."

Transport department officials and staff from Mysuru Transport Region, comprising Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan, Chamarajanagar, and Kodagu district, attended the programme, which was inaugurated by Mysuru SP C B Ryshyanth on Friday. Additional Superintendent of Police P V Sneha, RTOs, Purushottam, Yomakeshappa, Shivakumar, Ashok, and Hunsur ARTO Annadanaiah were present.