Himachal govt announces cash award of Rs 1000 for uploading videos of errant, drunk drivers

Minister Bali today asked Director (Transport) Sunil Chaudhry and HRTC MD Ashok Thakur to pass the necessary orders. Besides, Bali also came out with a series of other administrative measures to make traveling safe in the state in the wake of three major accidents in Chamba, Kinnaur and Shimla claiming 41 lives and leaving more than 50 injured.

Unfolding new plans, Bali also mooted a proposal to install crash-barriers on all roads and National Highways above 4000 feet and decided to approach union minister for surface transport and highways Nitin Gadkari to seek special funding.

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Bali, who is a member of Group of Ministers (GoM) set-up by Gadkari on road safety, said some sweeping changes were already being proposed in the Motor Vehicles Act 1998, which include enhancing punishment for rash and negligent driving up to two years, beside a penalty of upto Rs 5000. Idle parking on the roads, resulting in accidents, will attract deterrent action once the proposals are accepted by the Centre and the new bill is introduced in Parliament by Gadkari. Currently, the punishment is minimal ranging between Rs 500 and Rs 1000, beside a six-month imprisonment.

Seeking citizens’ support in preventing accidents, the transport minister said the Bajroli bridge accident of HRTC bus, which resulted in the loss of 11 lives, occurred as the driver Parvinder, who also died, tried to avoid hitting a car coming from the opposite direction.

“There could be minor error of judgment but sole focus turned out to be safety,” he said.

The minister asserted the need for major improvements in road infrastructure even though the PWD portfolio is held by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

Giving data on road accidents, Bali said the trend showed there was decline in the rate of accidents in the past three years in the HRTC.

While its fleet was barely 1,700 in 2008-09, 182 accidents were reported claiming 63 lives. In 2013-14, when the fleet of the HRTC rose to 2800, there were 100 accidents and 33 deaths.