Srinagar, Oct 16: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo on Friday chaired a meeting of the Multi-Disciplinary Committee (MDC) on Traffic Management to review the implementation of a comprehensive action plan aimed at easing traffic congestion, improving urban mobility and strengthening road safety in the twin cities of Jammu and Srinagar.
The meeting reviewed the Action Taken Report on the recommendations of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety (SCCoRS), besides assessing the progress of various inter-departmental interventions relating to traffic regulation, parking management, public transport, road infrastructure, enforcement and assistance to road accident victims here.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Home; Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works Department; Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department; Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir/Jammu; Commissioner Secretary, Transport; Secretary, Tourism; Inspector General of Police, Traffic; Deputy Inspector General, Traffic, Jammu/Kashmir; Commissioner, Jammu/Srinagar Municipal Corporations; Vice-Chairman, SDA/JDA; Director, Urban Local Bodies, Jammu/Kashmir; Vice-Chairman, Lakes Conservation and Management Authority, besides other officers of the concerned departments.
Emphasising the need for coordinated and outcome-oriented efforts, the Chief Secretary directed the concerned Municipal Corporations to undertake regular inspections to assess the installation and adequacy of traffic signages at different locations across both cities. He asked the respective Divisional Commissioners to closely monitor the progress and ensure timely resolution of deficiencies.
He enjoined upon the Traffic Department to analyse the data available on the electronic Detailed Accident Report (e-DAR) portal to identify accident-prone locations and time-specific traffic risks. The deployment of traffic personnel, he stressed, should be aligned with the identified hotspots and blackspots to improve enforcement and substantially reduce road accidents.
The Chief Secretary also called for working out a proposal to augment the capacity of the Transport Department to conduct comprehensive safety audits of heavy passenger vehicles operating across Jammu and Kashmir, with particular emphasis on school buses.
On parking management, he underscored the need to designate additional on-street parking spaces at suitable locations to facilitate the general public. He further stressed the implementation of the parking policy through the creation of additional parking lots across urban centres of the Union Territory to address congestion arising from unregulated parking.
Taking note of the functioning of the Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS), the Chief Secretary called for upgrading the system to incorporate Facial Recognition System (FRS) capabilities in both cities to strengthen enforcement and enhance the sense of safety among commuters and drivers.
He also stressed the establishment of an effective grievance redressal mechanism for the implementation of the PM-RAHAT scheme, ensuring that no road accident victim is denied timely treatment at health facilities across Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting also reviewed the status of vending zones, the Integrated Road Accident Database (i-RAD), e-Courts, enforcement measures undertaken by the Traffic and Transport Departments, and ongoing/proposed road-widening and road-protection works aimed at improving traffic flow and ensuring the safety of road users.