By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: The Bihar government is set to take significant action to address road safety and traffic congestion in the state. The traffic management systems of five cities—Patna, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, Bihar Sharif, and Gaya—are being completely overhauled. Traffic surveys in these cities, as well as a 750 km stretch of the national highway, have been completed. The survey report has been submitted to the state government, and action plans for these cities are being developed based on the findings. A committee led by Development Commissioner Chaitanya Prasad has been established to oversee the implementation of road safety measures. This committee will review the progress every two months to ensure that improvement measures are effectively executed.
The traffic survey report identified traffic congestion spots in the cities. To address these, the report suggests collaborating with police, transport authorities, road construction teams, and NH officials to find solutions. Additionally, black spots prone to accidents on the national highway and other roads have been highlighted. The report recommends reviewing the causes of accidents at these locations, whether due to road engineering issues or speed limits, and proposes installing necessary signage.
To enhance traffic management, officials from the transport and road authorities, along with the police, are receiving specialised training. Officials involved in road safety were trained in scientific investigation methods for road accidents and evidence collection. A three-day workshop, held from 3rd to 5th October at Harding Road in the capital, was conducted by experts from the Indian Road Transport Institute in Faridabad. The training covered aspects of the Motor Vehicles Act, Central Motor Vehicle Rules, and State Motor Vehicle Rules.
