Meeting of the 1^st Road Safety Council for UT Ladakh was chaired by Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, RK Mathur on January 11 at Raj Niwas.

 LG Mathur emphasised the need for a young fleet of vehicles, including commercial vehicles, so that most are less than 15 years old. He stated that the process of issuing fitness certificates to these vehicles may be technology-driven.  He emphasised the need to put adequate charging points for e-vehicles in place; monitor, review and refine the EV policy to ensure that the roads in Ladakh are dominated by e-vehicles.

Emphasising that moving towards electrical and hydrogen-run vehicles at the earliest should be the priority for Ladakh, LG Mathur stressed the need to look at the problem holistically and also include vehicles of the Army, ITBP and other para-military forces in the total vehicle population of Ladakh. He instructed that the matter of changing the design of engines for hilly areas may be taken up with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

LG Mathur suggested that the Road Safety Audit of roads in Ladakh may be conducted by a professional agency. He also instructed that the signages and concave mirrors on the roads, particularly in school areas, should be increased. He further instructed that no new road projects should be sanctioned without budgetary provisions for proper road safety measures.

He highlighted the need to issue guidelines and do’s and don’ts for tourists on mountain passes for their safety and for the smooth flow of traffic. He stressed the need to reiterate precautionary and safety measures to be followed by taxi drivers and bikers on the roads in Ladakh.

L-G advised that the Health Department may take proactive steps to save lives in case of accidents. He stressed the need to improve response time and communication system, provide trained paramedic staff, check the preparedness of health centres and link up with Ladakh Police. He also advised that the Health Department may provide training to drivers on life-saving techniques such as Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and using the first-aid box in case of accidents and issue certificates to them. LG Mathur stated that no drivers may be allowed to drive without the first-aid box and the certificate issued by the Health Department. He highlighted the need for health insurance for tourists and air ambulance service in Ladakh.

SP Traffic was asked to check the efficacy of safety mechanisms and precautionary measures to be taken in case of accidents on roads in Ladakh before the start of the tourist season. He also instructed Ladakh Police to analyse and capture the actions of the defaulters on camera so that appropriate actions can be taken against them.   

Regional Transport Officer (RTO), Ladakh, Tsering Paldan gave a detailed presentation on the total road network in Ladakh; vehicle population in Ladakh; institutional framework; accidents trend in Ladakh; types of collision; Integrated Road Safety Accidents Database (iRAD); problem areas; the process of identification of black spots; Road Safety Audit; work zone safety compliance; speed limits and other signages; status of installation of crash barriers; recommendations of MoRTH; Road Safety Funds, Road Safety Policy; good samaritan scheme; medical institution on national highways and major roads; District Road Safety Committee; road safety awareness, etc.