CONCLAVE 2010 - Road Safety in India|NGO on Road Safety

Karnataka Government’s formation of road safety
authority, op<strong>in</strong>ed that there is a need for similar
<strong>Road</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> Boards <strong>in</strong> all states and Centre. <strong>Road</strong>
<strong>Safety</strong> must be an <strong>in</strong>tegral part of all upcom<strong>in</strong>g
projects and requisite funds must be allocated
to address it. A composite <strong>Road</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> Action
Plan needs to be an <strong>in</strong>tegral part of all projects,
he added.
Mr. Mike Patrick, Director-Corporate Responsibility,
TNT <strong>in</strong> his address stressed on the need for
develop<strong>in</strong>g an action plan and monitor<strong>in</strong>g
performance.
Mr. Andrew Pearce, Chief Executive, Global
<strong>Road</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> Partnership (GRSP) observed that
road safety is a man-made hazard. He called for
concerted efforts particularly among the three most
important pillars i.e. civil society, government and
bus<strong>in</strong>ess to steer a change. Civil society has an
important role <strong>in</strong> rais<strong>in</strong>g its voice and garner<strong>in</strong>g
a movement, bus<strong>in</strong>ess has enormous stake and
government has a social obligation, he added.
Mr. B H Anil Kumar, Manag<strong>in</strong>g Director,
Karnataka <strong>Road</strong> Development Corporation Limited
highlighted the need for capacity build<strong>in</strong>g at
all levels, be it highway eng<strong>in</strong>eers, transport
departments, NGO’s, police, etc.. He also called
for an <strong>in</strong>stitutional system to avoid multiplicity
of enforcement agencies and a periodical &
regular assessment of assets <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g signage
boards/ warn<strong>in</strong>gs. Present<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>in</strong>itiatives that
Government of Karnataka has taken on road safety,
he stated that a state level authority on Traffic and
Transportation is already <strong>in</strong> place headed by Chief
Secretary. Similarly at district level, <strong>Road</strong> <strong>Safety</strong>
Council is headed by Collector and Super<strong>in</strong>tendent
of Police. The Government of Karnataka has also
<strong>in</strong>corporated specific chapter on road safety <strong>in</strong>
PWD manuals which <strong>in</strong>cludes construction and
work zone safety.
Mr. Atul Kumar, Chief General Manager, National
Highways Authority of India emphasized on the
need for proper accident analysis and reports to
assess the reasons for road accidents. He stated
that the National Highways Authority of India
has embarked upon a programme to get the road
audits done on national highways. The audit would
<strong>in</strong>clude work zone safety audit apart from traffic
audit. The low and medium cost issues identified
<strong>in</strong> the audit, would be addressed through O&M
and high cost issues would be addressed through
provision of 4 and 6- lan<strong>in</strong>g, underpasses, flyovers,
etc. He further <strong>in</strong>formed the audience that
NHAI, with the assistance of the World Bank, is
appo<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g an <strong>in</strong>ternational <strong>Road</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> Advisor
Rose van Steijn, Programme Manager,
Fleet Forum