Jammu: With an aim of preventing accidents and related fatalities on the roads, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has notified “The Jammu and Kashmir Road Safety Policy-2025”.
In an official notification issued in this regard, it was stated that road transport is the most effective mode of transportation in J&K and the government recognises that road safety demands an integrated and holistic approach to tackle road safety issues in the UT.
Highlighting the need to frame a new road safety policy, the notification says that there were over 22.66 lakh registered vehicles in J&K. During the year 2022, some 6092 road accidents were reported in the UT in which 805 people lost their lives whereas in the year 2023, 6298 accidents were reported and 893 people lost their lives in these.
As per the data, 40 percent of all the accidents have occurred in the districts of Jammu, Udhampur, Samba and Kathua. Accidental data analysis shows that the number of accidents and fatality rate needs to be brought down, making it imperative to promote a preventive strategy for road safety.
Keeping in view the above data, the government with a vision to achieve the goal of reduction in road accidents as well as fatalities by 50 percent by 2030, reiterates its commitment to bring significant reduction in road accidents in J&K in coordination with all stakeholders and government agencies.
It further said that the government will create an effective institutional mechanism to strengthen road safety measures besides providing the necessary support structure to enable each institution to play its role effectively.
The government will promote awareness regarding road safety among the key decision-makers and government departments responsible for making provision for safer roads. The initiative will facilitate them for planning and promoting road safety involving the Motor Vehicles Department, Traffic Police and citizens through effective involvement of print, electronic and social media for creating awareness of road safety by highlighting the consequences of road accidents.
In the new Road Safety Policy, the institutional arrangements have been strengthened by constituting the State Road Safety Council which shall be headed by the Minister In-charge Transport and a lead agency headed by an officer of the rank of Additional Transport Commissioner.
The government will ensure that best practices are incorporated and accident prevention and reduction strategies are adopted in a big way.
DRDCs shall conduct regular identification of accident-prone areas/black spots on the basis of accident intensity and severity every six months. The corrective actions within six months for the identified accident-prone areas/black spots through proper planning design and construction techniques will be done.
The government will also establish an accountability mechanism for defaulting contractors and consultants regarding poorly constructed and maintained roads, including a process for black-listing them.
The notification said that development authorities have already been entrusted with a responsibility to create more parking spaces. Parking policy will be notified to impress upon the vehicle owners to have parking space before vehicle is purchased. Further Municipal/Development authorities should charge for road side parking with charges increasing exponentially with time.
In order to reduce pressure on roads, the government will adopt innovative features to encourage use of Public Transport System instead of Private Transport System.
The government will also bring into effect a Non-Motorized Transport policy for J&K to specifically recognise the rights of non-motorised road users.
Expressing satisfaction with the Road Safety Policy 2025, Transport Minister, Satish Sharma, asserted that the new policy will improve the quality of traffic enforcement in J&K in close coordination with J&K Traffic Police and Motor Vehicles Department.
He said that the government will ensure that the enforcement agencies are adequately trained and equipped to undertake their functions more effectively and professionally.
