Ponnam holds review meeting with Transport dept. officials, directs intense checking for safety compliance

Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Monday, after taking stock of the road accident near Chevella, convened a virtual review meeting with Special Chief Secretary, Transport department, Vikas Raj, and officials of the Transport department and directed them to embark on a district-level action plan to reduce the rise in road accidents across Telangana.

Mr. Prabhakar noted the increase in road accidents, including the one on Monday in which 19 people died. He maintained that both the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation bus and the lorry which crashed into it were in proper mechanical condition. The absence of a road divider and driving at high speed were connected to the severity of the road accident.

The Minister instructed officials to verify the implementation of speed locks in transport vehicles. He said that if these devices are found to be tampered with, a triple penalty must be imposed. He stressed that enforcement teams must be active across districts and function throughout the year, and not be reactionary at the time of serious road accidents.

He directed that Transport department officials should monitor commercial vehicles, sleeper buses, tippers and lorries that violate fitness requirements or operate without permits. He pointed out that school buses, hire buses and heavy transport vehicles be subjected to fitness checks. Tippers carrying sand and construction material must be covered with tarpaulin, he added.