Ex-SC judge Abhay Sapre urges strict road safety enforcement in Nagpur, floats "no helmet, no fuel"

Abhay Sapre, former Supreme Court judge and chairman of the Supreme Court Road Safety Committee, has called for traffic rules to be enforced in Nagpur district without any leniency. He said road accidents were claiming thousands of lives in the country every year, so a strict policy such as "no helmet, no fuel" should also be considered.

A review meeting on road safety was held at the Planning Bhavan in Sadar. Sapre directed officials to step up action, increase public awareness, and have government departments, industrial establishments and educational institutions work together to reduce accidents and deaths. He has asked for a report on the action taken on these measures by December, setting a clear deadline for the administration to show results.

Sapre said India sees about five lakh road accidents and about two lakh deaths every year. He said that with sustained strictness and shared responsibility, Nagpur should move towards the goal of zero accidents.

He asked government departments, industries and educational institutions to make helmets and seatbelts mandatory for entry to their premises. Those who violate traffic safety rules should face strict action, he said, and awareness campaigns on the importance of responsible road use should be stepped up.

The education, transport and other departments concerned were directed to coordinate with one another. Road safety should not be seen as the responsibility of the traffic police alone.

The review found that nine districts of Maharashtra, including Nagpur, are among the 100 districts with the most accidents in the country. More accidents are being recorded in rural areas than in cities. This has raised concern over road infrastructure, traffic management and enforcement outside city limits.

Narrow roads, heavy traffic, careless driving and a shortage of streetlights were cited as major causes of accidents. Sapre said that along with strict action against violators, these shortcomings must also be addressed.

Sapre also stressed that accident victims must get immediate treatment. He told officials that the injured should be taken to the nearest hospital without delay. In his view, timely treatment can prove decisive in saving lives.

Officials at the meeting said about 3,000 CCTV cameras have been installed in Nagpur city. They also said awareness programmes on road safety and other measures have brought down accidents and deaths.

Police Commissioner Vishwas Nangre Patil, Superintendent of Police Dr Harsh Poddar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Aditya Mirkhelkar and Nagpur Municipal Corporation Chief Engineer Leena Upadhye were present at the meeting.