UP proposes volunteer support system to bring down accidents | Lucknow News
Lucknow: The state transport department, which has set a target of achieving 50% reduction in road crashes, has mooted the formation of ‘Uttar Pradesh Sadak Suraksha Saathi’, a volunteer support system to tackle the issue.The plan has been forwarded to the state govt for the in-principle approval, said an official. “It is a 5E-based integrated road safety programme, where the 5Es are enforcement, engineering, education, emergency care and evaluation. It is aimed at achieving a 50% reduction in road crashes and fatalities. A non-penal, community-based volunteer support system will assist authorised enforcement officers on the ground, especially during high-risk time windows, which are between 3 pm and 9 pm,” said an official. With ten trained volunteers per tehsil, and with 351 tehsils currently, a total of 3,510 ‘Road Safety Sevaks’ will be roped in for the purpose. Their role will include school-zone marshaling, pedestrian and crossing assistance, helmet and seat-belt counselling, queue and crowd management, work-zone safety support, geo-tagged photo reporting of risk points, and Good Samaritan messaging. A recent analysis shows overspeeding as the primary cause, 3 pm to 9 pm as the highest-risk time, and district and other roads carrying the largest crash burden. With limited regular manpower, continuous presence at every time and location is not feasible. “Uttar Pradesh Sadak Suraksha Saathi (SSS) will fill the coverage gap with low cost and high impact,” said an official, adding, “They will function under ARTO (Enforcement) and in close coordination with police and other departments.” The volunteers will be given two days of training in first aid, crowd management, traffic etiquette, safety SOPs, and a kit with an ID card, reflective jacket, whistle, torch, and handbook. The proposed honorarium is Rs 3,000 per volunteer per month. The training, kit, and insurance provisions will be implemented upon approval of the scheme by the govt. The objective of the scheme is to expand enforcement coverage, ensure visible presence to deter violations, prevent secondary crashes, generate granular field data to target engineering and enforcement, and convert Divisional Road Safety Committee decisions into rapid field delivery, said Transport commissioner, UP, Brajesh Narain Singh. As soon as the govt gives in-principle approval to the scheme, the department will submit a detailed scheme document containing the draft GO, SOP, selection criteria, training modules, financial memorandum and funding sources, risk mitigation, and a phased rollout calendar, after which the scheme will be formally placed before the govt for administrative and financial sanction. The project will later see the state-wide expansion.
