Jaipur, July 3 (IANS) In the wake of the deadly bus-trailer collision on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Dausa that claimed eight lives, the Rajasthan government on Friday ordered a comprehensive road safety audit of the expressway within 15 days and directed authorities to identify accident-prone black spots across the state for immediate corrective action.

Chairing a high-level road safety review meeting via video conference, State Chief Secretary V. Srinivas said that passenger safety must remain the government’s top priority and instructed all departments to implement time-bound measures to reduce road accidents and fatalities.

The Chief Secretary directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to complete a comprehensive safety audit of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway corridor within 15 days.

He also instructed NHAI to ensure that all surveillance cameras installed along national highways remain fully functional and to improve road signage, lane markings, and other safety infrastructure wherever deficiencies are found.

Responding to the directive, NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav assured that the audit would be completed within the stipulated period and that necessary improvements, including enhanced signage, would be carried out promptly.

He also appreciated the Rajasthan government’s proactive approach towards improving road safety.

Reviewing accident trends across the state, the Chief Secretary directed officials to identify accident-prone locations, commonly known as black spots, and undertake corrective measures within a fixed timeline.

He emphasised that better lighting, clearer road markings, warning signs, and engineering improvements at vulnerable stretches would play a crucial role in preventing accidents.

The meeting also discussed concerns over buses registered in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland but operating in Rajasthan without complying with prescribed bus body safety standards.

Chief Secretary Srinivas directed that semi-official letters be sent to the Chief Secretaries of both states seeking appropriate action.

He also instructed transport authorities to ensure that no vehicle is registered or allowed to operate without thorough inspection and verification of safety standards, stressing that passenger safety cannot be compromised.

The Transport and Road Safety Department has been directed to launch special enforcement drives focusing on installation of reflective tapes on vehicles, verification of compliance with Automotive Industry Standards (AIS) for buses, recovery of pending traffic challan penalties, strict action against over-speeding vehicles and better emergency response on highways.

To improve accident response, the Chief Secretary directed that every toll plaza should have access to ambulances, first-aid facilities, recovery cranes and towing vehicles and fire brigade support in coordination with the state government.

He also asked authorities to ensure affordable food facilities for commercial vehicle drivers at highway amenity centres to promote safer long-distance travel.

V. Srinivas instructed all Divisional Commissioners to convene meetings with District Collectors to review the functioning of district road safety committees and ensure coordinated implementation of safety measures.

The meeting was attended by Director General of Police Rajiv Kumar Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary (Public Works Department) Praveen Gupta, Principal Secretary (Transport) Bhawani Singh Detha, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Bhaskar Atmaram Sawant, Transport Commissioner Purushottam Sharma, NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav, representatives of the Transport Departments of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, and senior administrative and police officials through video conferencing.

The review meeting marked the third consecutive day of discussions chaired by Chief Secretary Srinivas to strengthen road safety measures across Rajasthan following recent fatal road accidents.

–IANS

arc/khz