Assam Transport Minister Parimal Suklabaidya has gone back to his motorcycle days to promote road safety in view of an “alarming” increase in the number of accidents in the State over the past few years.
He launched the Path Suraksha Jan Andolan on the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on November 19. The Minister will cover all 126 Assembly constituencies in the State over the span of 30 days.
As per the data provided by the Transport Department, Assam recorded 6,001 cases of road accidents between January and October this year. A total of 2,606 people died and 4,800 were injured in these road accidents. The corresponding figures for 2022 and 2021 were 7,023 and 7,404 accidents, 2,994 and 3,030 deaths, and 5,637 and 5,759 injuries.
Mr Suklabaidya said the government wants to turn the campaign into a mass movement.
“Riding without wearing a helmet, over-speeding, rash driving, drunk driving, and talking on mobile phone while riding or driving have been the primary causes of the fatalities. We feel the accident rate can come down if we create mass awareness,” he told The Hindu after reaching western Assam’s Goalpara on a 350-cc motorcycle on Monday.
He is scheduled to set out for Dhubri district further west on Tuesday and return to Guwahati after covering all the districts in western Assam.
“I met people and leaders of various unions including those of drivers and vehicle owners. I have asked them to continue with the movement at their levels and relay the message to others,” Mr Suklabaidya said.
Meetings of Road Safety Councils are also being conducted in the districts, he said.
The Minister dismissed theories that the road safety campaign has been designed with the 2024 Lok Sabha election in mind. “This is about saving lives, not seeking votes,” he said.
