Shimla: A sum of Rs 150 crore has been allotted for purchase of road safety equipment in four police districts -- Shimla, Nurpur, Mandi, and Kangra -- besides the establishment of an integrated road safety enforcement system here, a statement issued here on Sunday said. A budget of Rs 90 crore has been allocated for the purchase of 3,373 road safety equipment and so far, more than 1,200 pieces of equipment have already been provided at a cost of Rs. 5.71 crore, it said.
In Shimla, approximately Rs 60 crore has been allocated for the establishment of an integrated road safety enforcement system, the statement said. The integrated system will be linked to more than 450 artificial intelligence-based speed and surveillance cameras in Shimla, Kangra and Mandi districts, enabling the police to transition towards digital monitoring of traffic regulations in the state, it added.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu flagged off 27 police motorcycles to improve road safety from his official residence Oak Over here. Among the 27 motorcycles, 14 will be allotted to Kangra district police, while 13 will be given to Mandi district police. Additionally, in the coming days, 42 four-wheeler vehicles, 14 interceptor vehicles, and 10 wrecker vehicles for rescue operations will be made available to the police districts of Shimla, Nurpur, Mandi, and Kangra.
Furthermore, a Mass Action Plan (MAP) has been prepared with an estimated expenditure of Rs 34.66 crore under which safety improvements will be ensured on 20 percent of the most unsafe link road networks in Shimla district by the Public Works Department and other related departments, a spokesperson of the government said.
A Good Samaritan Law awareness program is being conducted in seven districts of the state for road safety awareness. Under the program, more than 300 police and home guard personnel have been trained in basic life support techniques, the statement said. For the first time, an iRAP (International Road Assessment Programme) survey has been conducted for approximately 7,500 kilometres of roads in Himachal Pradesh. Based on this survey, roads have been rated as per safety standards.
A 10-year Safe Road Investment Plan, with an estimated investment of Rs 3,200 crore, has been formulated, which would rope in the Public Works Department, Transport Department and other relevant agencies, the statement added.
It also revealed that the accidents have declined by 6.48 per cent from 2,253 accidents in 2023 to 2,107 in 2024. PTI BPL OZ OZ
