Supreme Court’s Road Safety Committee Pushes for Stricter Enforcement of Traffic Rules; Helmets to be Mandatory for Bikers in Pune
Pune:
Retired Supreme Court Judge Abhay Sapre, Chairman of the Supreme Court-constituted Road Safety Committee, emphasised the need for strict enforcement of road safety regulations. He urged all relevant authorities to develop a comprehensive policy aimed at preventing accidents and ensuring the safety of citizens. Justice Sapre specifically called for making helmets mandatory for bikers as part of the measures to reduce road fatalities.
Justice Sapre was addressing a Road Safety Committee meeting held at Vidhan Bhavan. Senior officials in attendance at this time included Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar, Divisional Commissioner Dr. Chandrakant Pulkundwar, Municipal Commissioner Dr. Rajendra Bhosale, Collector Dr. Suhas Diwase, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh, Deputy Commissioner Varsha Ladda-Untwal, Additional Police Commissioner Manoj Patil, Additional Transport Commissioner Bharat Kalaskar, Pune Regional Transport Officer Archana Gaikwad, and Pimpri Chinchwad Regional Transport Officer Sandesh Chavan.
Justice Sapre expressed grave concern over the rising number of road accident victims caused by reckless driving. He pointed out that the Supreme Court has taken note of this issue and mandated measures to reduce accidents, ensure prompt medical treatment for the injured, and minimise fatalities. He stated, “The Supreme Court has established guiding principles to reduce road accidents and has set up a permanent Road Safety Committee to monitor the implementation of these measures and report directly to the Court.”
He emphasised the need for active collaboration between the transport department, police, and other government agencies, urging them to discharge their duties responsibly. “All concerned agencies must strictly implement road safety rules using modern technology. Reducing the number of road accident victims is a priority, and all instructions given in this meeting must be followed rigorously,” Justice Sapre added.
Reflecting on the growing number of vehicles, Justice Sapre underscored the importance of citizens adhering to traffic rules. He called for stricter enforcement of laws related to vehicle maintenance, use of seat belts, avoiding mobile phone usage while driving, preventing speeding, and ensuring drivers refrain from driving under the influence of alcohol. “Drivers should also ensure their vehicle licenses and safety insurance are up-to-date. Citizens must familiarise themselves with road safety measures and voluntarily follow traffic rules,” he added.
Justice Sapre also highlighted the rising number of fatalities involving two-wheeler drivers, making a strong case for mandatory helmet use for both the driver and the passenger. “The administration must make helmets compulsory for all two-wheeler riders. Additionally, a Road Safety Week should be organised to raise awareness about traffic rules and safe driving practices,” he recommended.
During the meeting, Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar presented data on the various initiatives undertaken by the Transport Department to improve road safety. He reported a 30 percent reduction in accident-related deaths on the Mumbai-Pune highway and a 33 percent decrease on the Samruddhi Highway.
Divisional Commissioner Dr. Chandrakant Pulkundwar announced that helmet use would be mandatory for officers and employees working in government, semi-government, and municipal institutions. “We will issue instructions to the heads of all departments to ensure helmet usage is enforced. Those failing to comply will face action,” Dr. Pulkundwar stated. He also recommended conducting inspections of district and city vehicles, similar to those done on state and national highways.
Justice Sapre expressed his satisfaction with the ‘Accident-Free Wari’ campaign led by the Pune Regional Transport Office and acknowledged the efforts of the Transport Department in implementing road safety measures.
Also present at the meeting were Nanded Regional Transport Officer Vinay Ahire, Nagpur Regional Transport Officer Kiran Bidkar, Baramati Sub-Regional Transport Officer Surendra Nikam, and Gondia Sub-Regional Transport Officer Rajendra Keskar.
