Jamshedpur, December 12 : Notwithstanding steps initiated by East Singhbhum district administration on road safety front, the fatalities due to road mishaps continued to occur, barring the black spots identified and necessary measures taken to check the menace.
Though the solace for the administration was that no accident was recorded during the last six months in black spots identified and necessary steps implemented to minimize the deaths due to road accident on National Highway between Dimna-Badajudi and Ghatsila Sub-division’s Dhalbhumgarh-Baharagora stretch.
However, the district has recorded 176 deaths in 273 road accidents since January 2025, as per official figure revealed at a review meeting held to discuss road traffic and safety measures to reduce the death figure in the auditorium of East Singhbhum district collectorate here on Wednrsday (10th December).
Of the 19 road accidents that took place in the month of November last, nine persons have lost their lives and as many suffered severe injuries.
In course of the investigation, it was revealed that out of 173 death recorded since January this year in the district, over 100 met the fatality for overlooking road traffic and road safety rules including driving vehicles without helmet, without fixing seat belt of car, over-speeding, rash driving and wrong side driving etc.
Deputy Commission Karn Satyarthi chaired the monthly review meeting convened to discuss issues related to road traffic and safety measure to mitigate the road mishaps and was attended by senior district officials including Superintendent of Police (City) Kumar Sivashish, ADM (L&O) Bhagirath Prasad, SDM (Dhalbhum) Chandrajeet Singh, SDPO (Ghatsila) Ajit Kujur, DySP (Traffic) Niraj, DySP (HQ-1) Bhola Prasad Singh, Motor Vehicle Inspector, representatives of transport organization, among other.
In the meeting, DC expressed serious concern over road accidents and instructed that awareness drive should be intensified among citizens regarding compliance with traffic rules and road safety regulations. The MVI was also directed to conduct vehicle checking drives in rural police station areas as well for enforcement of traffic rules strictly.
Keeping in mind the forthcoming New Year celebrations, DC directed officials of the excise and police department to ensure that alcohol consumption and sale should not take place around licensed liquor shops, hotels–dhabas, public places or non-licensed locations. Petrol pump operators were also instructed not to provide fuel to customers without a helmet.
To control drunk and drive cases, Satyarthi issued instructions to regularly conduct vehicle checking campaigns on major roads and intersections using breath analyzers, identify stunt biker gangs and take strict action, and also take action against modified silencers, horns etc.
Regarding pending hit-and-run cases, Deputy Commissioner asked the insurance companies to ensure compensation should be provided to the affected families.
Dharni Das of Jadugora in Ghatsila Sub-division, who had taken a road accident victim to nearby hospital during golden hour, was honored with a citation and Rs. 2000/- cash reward for being a “good samaritan”. Eom
