Youth must know road safety rules before getting vehicle keys: Maha Min

"This time something new, different, innovative and practical suggestions should be put before people from which they can take lessons on safe journey and driving," he added

Maharashtra Excise Minister Shambhuraj Desai on Wednesday asked officials in transport and police departments to take innovative and practical steps to improve road safety and advised parents to ensure their young children are well aware of traffic rules before giving them vehicles to drive. Highlighting some recent road accidents involving state politicians, Desai said drivers alone cannot be blamed for such tragedies as politicians make them drive for long hours, especially during the night time. The minister was speaking after inaugurating the 34th "Road Safety Drive 2023" at a function at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in South Mumbai. The event coincided with the National Road Safety Week, which is celebrated from January 11 to 17. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who also holds the transport portfolio, and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis were slated to attend the function, but they did not turn up for the event. Addressing the function that was delayed by nearly two hours, Desai asked authorities to come out with innovative and practical steps on improving road safety instead of observing the week in a conventional manner. "This time something new, different, innovative and practical suggestions should be put before people from which they can take lessons on safe journey and driving," said the minister. He spoke about some recent road accidents involving state politicians and said "We (politicians) should also follow some self-discipline." Veteran politician and Maratha community leader Vinayak Mete died in a road accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway in August last year. Nationalist Congress Party leader and former Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde received a minor chest injury when his car met with an accident near Parli town in Beed district last week. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Jaykumar Gore was injured after the car he was travelling in fell off a bridge near Phaltan in his native Satara district last month. The minister said it is the responsibility of parents to ensure their college-going children know traffic rules properly before giving them two-wheeler or any other vehicle to drive. According to transport department officials, both Chief Minister Shinde and deputy CM Fadnavis skipped the function that was originally scheduled to start at 11.30 am. Chief secretary Manu Kumar Shrivastava also didn't turn up for the function, they added. Despite rescheduling the inauguration function and after the chief minister did not turn up, veteran Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff, who was invited for the event, left without attending the main function organised by the Maharashtra transport department. According to the department officials, the Road Safety Drive inauguration was originally planned at 11. 30 am which was then moved to 1 pm due to some engagements of the chief minister. A senior RTO (Regional Transport Office) officer said since the function was scheduled at 11.30 am, Shroff arrived at the venue well before 11 am and he was there for a long time, while another guest, Marathi actor Siddharth Jadhav, skipped the programme. As the programme did not start even at the rescheduled time, Shroff, who was the centre of attraction for people at the venue since his arrival, left the hall after 1.45 pm. As soon the actor left, a majority of students and other invitees, too, went out of the NCPA. Hundreds of students from various colleges in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, members of non-governmental organizations and other invitees had gathered at the venue, where many of them arrived around 11 am. "This year's road safety programme reflected utter mismanagement," said a bus operator, who did not wish to be named. He rued that despite India reporting 1.5 lakh accident deaths annually, the government is not serious about road safety. Dr Harsha Goyal, a teacher of Morden College in Navi Mumbai, said they were asked to reach the venue at 10.30 am and were not informed about the revised schedule. Hence, 70 students from the college were left hungry and thirsty as they were not served lunch even past 2 pm, he said. A student said they left home at 8 am for the programme and had got a samosa and a water bottle. As the event got delayed, they were made to wait in the open outside the NCPA hall in south Mumbai, he said. Maharashtra transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar, however, claimed Shroff left the venue as he had prior engagements. He (Shroff) did not leave the event before time. He had some other scheduled programme, hence he went after taking formal permission, Bhimanwar said, adding they had made proper food and water arrangements for all guests. Meanwhile, invitees and guests appreciated road safety initiatives of Solapur, Nanded, Navi Mumbai and Tardeo RTOs during the function. The Solapur RTO had set up a stall with road safety oath boards and daily use articles with messages on traffic rules and safe driving. Archana Gaikwad, deputy RTO of Solapur, told PTI they were spreading awareness about road safety among students and youngsters. "We have printed name stickers for books with QR code. If you scan the code, it will open Solapur RTO's YouTube channel where we have put various road safety videos, Gaikwad said, adding they are taking traffic messages to schools and colleges under an initiative christened as Suraksha Kawach.