Vizag Collector tells officials to step up road safety efforts

District Collector M. Abhishikth Kishore has directed all departments to work in coordination to prevent road accidents and ensure timely emergency medical care for accident victims. He also called for intensified surveillance against the transportation and use of narcotic substances in the district.

At the District Road Safety Committee meeting held at the Collectorate on Friday, the Collector reviewed the road accident situation, preventive measures, medical services being provided to victims and action taken on decisions of the previous meeting. He directed officials to ensure that corrective measures were taken at locations where accidents had occurred to prevent their recurrence.

He asked officials to submit details of the number of ambulances available with the National Highways Authority and the number of people shifted to hospitals through them. Police officials were directed to conduct monthly audits of accidents and fatalities, including two-wheeler and four-wheeler accidents, and record the reasons for deaths. They were also asked to upload victim data on the iRAD app. The Collector called for reducing black spots on national highways and installing CCTV cameras.

Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) and VMRDA officials were asked to complete works under their respective jurisdictions quickly, giving priority to non-financial works. The GVMC officials said that work on six of the 11 non-functional traffic signals was under way and the remaining works would be completed by month-end. The Collector also directed the Bheemunipatnam RDO and VMRDA officials to take immediate steps to shift the Anandapuram flower market.

City Police Commissioner Shankhabrata Bagchi said speeding was a major cause of accidents and called for inspections of buses and drivers and action at accident-prone spots.

At the district-level committee meeting on prevention of intoxicants and narcotic drugs, the Collector directed officials to maintain strict surveillance, set up check-posts and conduct surprise raids along routes used for transporting ganja. He also stressed awareness among youth about the harmful effects of drugs.

Mr. Bagchi said police had 600 drug-detection kits and nine dog squads for detecting ganja in public places. Surveillance was also being carried out through drones, while decoy teams were deployed at educational institutions and drug-prone spots. The Eagle team had registered 30 cases and arrested 77 persons, he said.