Media sensitized on National Road Safety Month ‘Transport Dept is today highly technical’

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jan 16 : Transport Department and All Manipur Working Journalist' Union (AMWJU) organised a media sensitization programme as part of National Road Safety Month at Manipur Press Club today.
After launching the programme which was attended by several journalists, Transport Secretary Micheal Achom  announced that people can  now access e-driving license, e-vehicle registration and e-challan through DigiLocker app.
Saying that the Transport Department is a very technical establishment, he appealed to all to always obey traffic rules while driving.
Appealing to all media firms in making people familiar with road safety rules, he added that the purpose of the National Road Safety Month is to address road safety issues and prevent vehicular accidents as much as possible.
People randomly parking vehicles on either side of National Highways is a common phenomenon in Manipur and the same increases the chances of road accidents, Micheal said while appealing to one and all to obey traffic rules.
He also said that there must be a parking lot for every commercial building, hospital, shopping mall and hotel.
Parking vehicles randomly on roads where there is a traffic movement is dangerous, Micheal said.
He continued that the Transport Department had already issued a notice to not occupy approach roads in front of hospitals.
The officer added that people don't need to carry physical copies of driving license or e-vehicle regis- tration  number all the time as softcopies in DigiLocker will do the work.
He also said that the Government is working to install surveillance cameras which can read vehicle registration plates.
Transport Director Nivedita Lairenlakpam was the guest of  honour.
She said that understanding road safety rules and applying them will make everyone safe.
She appealed to all people to not pile up construction material on roads or let loose  cattle or domestic animals as the same increases the chances of road accidents.
People who need to make changes in their driving license such as correcting date of birth can be done online, she said.
Editors Guild Manipur (EGM) president Khogendra Khomdram, on the other hand,  expressed desire for the police to take strict action against violators of traffic rules.
He also said that parents should not entrust a vehicle to underaged children.
SP of Imphal West Traffic Police Pramesh Arambam and AMWJU president Bijoy Kakching-tabam also attended the programme among others.