FACE TO FACE WITH SUNIL SHARMA / Scientific measures introduced to ensure safety on roads: Sunil Sharma

* Government is working to introduce RADMS, which will enable MVD to take rational/scientific data based decisions to ensure safety on roads.
* This was stated by Minister for Transport, Sunil Kumar Sharma during his exclusive interaction with the Young Bites.
Here are the excerpts.
Vijay Gupta
VG: Despite your efforts, people still are deprived of better transportation facilities?
SS: In this digital day and age, timely and necessary technological updations need to be introduced in the transport department, so that we can fulfil its basic mandate of providing better transportation facilities to the people with effective safety measures.
Meanwhile, to provide better transport facilities to the people, Rational and scientific measures are being introduced to ensure safety of the people on roads besides regulating traffic movement.
The department has initiated implementation of multiple measures in addition to Road Accident Data Management System (RADMS) including switch over to Web Based Online Services (VAHAN/SARTHI 4.0), replacement of paper based documents with plastic/smart cards-in offing, digitalization of all departmental records, introduction of Digilocker Service among others.
VG: There is an increase in cases of irresponsive driving, what action has been taken to control such incidents?
SS: Taking a swift action, an app ‘Ride Safe’ is being developed for Citizens to report instances of irresponsible driving with geo-intelligence for intervention and action by filed officials.
With a focus on ensuring road safety by way of awareness and training, the department has initiated work on establishment of Institute of Drivers Training and Research (IDTR) in Jammu and in Srinagar.
State Road Safety Policy is under implementation, further with an aim to reduce the fatalities and accidents by 50% by 2020, instructions have been issued for preparation of District Road Safety Plan (2017-2020).
With an objective to strengthen the department to check menace for drunken driving, 100 Breath Analyzers were procured during August, 2016 for which funds were provided by the MoRTH, GoI.
VG: State motor Garage is struggling with shortage of vehicle, is this true?
SS: This is not true, during 2017-18, the SMG has purchased only 29 vehicles against an amount of Rs 255.60 lakh so far and for infrastructure updation, works at Jammu & Srinagar worth Rs 187.69 lakh have been taken in hand which shall be completed during the next financial year.
Under new initiatives and to increase departmental infrastructure 102 vehicles shall be purchased, fleet of SMG to be augmented by adding 156 vehicles, creation of staff for the newly created 8 districts for, procurement of more automobile equipment for various workshops.
Meanwhile, SRTC fleet has a total of 847 vehicles comprising of 518 Buses, 313 Trucks, 11 Non Commercial Buses and 05 Trucks. Corporation has decided to introduce Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS) which is expected to be completed by June 2018.