Panaji: In order to reduce road accidents and fatalities, the Goa transport department is all set to chalk out a comprehensive plan by incorporating measures suggested by Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
The transport department has submitted a proposal to the government to call for a meeting of State Road Safety Review Committee, headed by Chief Secretary, to list the measures needed to be undertaken on war front to reduce the number of accidents and deaths on Goan roads.
"Major thrust would be given to procuring equipment like interceptor vehicles, alcometer and speed radar guns. The enforcement of traffic rules and necessary amendments to the existing road laws are being thought about to control the mishaps on the roads," state transport director Arun Desai told a news agency today.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had earlier written to Goa government, along with other states, quoting Geneva Convention wherein it was decided to reduce the road accidents and fatalities by 50 percent during 2010-2020.
Goa recorded 298 deaths and 4,200 accidents during the last calendar year, while countrywide 1.25 lakh people were killed in five lakh accidents.
Desai said the assistance of other departments like the PWD, health and education would also be taken to reduce the fatalities on roads.
"The PWD had identified the accident prone zones in 2010 and they were rectified. We need to review whether the accidents are still happening there and whether new such zones have come up in the state," he said.
The state has to do a safety audit of the roads, but it cannot be done in the absence of a proper agency for it within the state.
"We will have to see whether we can rope-in someone to do safety audit of our roads," Desai said, adding that the government will have to fix a target of reducing road accidents by 50 percent over the next six years.
The central ministry has asked to review the situation in the state after every six months to ensure that there are at least some measures in place to check the accidents, he added.
