Odisha Transport Commissioner advises RTOs and ARTOs to act not only as regulators but also as educators
Cuttack: Odisha Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur today advised all Deputy Transport Commissioners, Regional Transport Officers (RTOs), and Additional Regional Transport Officers (ARTOs) to act not only as regulators but also as educators.
The Transport Commissioner advised the officers during an annual review meeting he chaired at the office of the State Transport Authority (STA) following the directions of Commerce & Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena.
Senior officials attended the meeting in person while RTOs joined through virtual mode, and all RTOs were directed to undertake comprehensive and district-specific measures to effectively reduce road accidents.
The Transport Commissioner stated that the increasing number of road accidents is a matter of serious concern and emphasised that the Government has issued clear directions to take stringent measures to address the issue, calling upon all RTOs to take proactive action at the ground level.
Thakur observed that many drivers are not adhering to road safety norms and are driving recklessly, thereby endangering not only their own lives but also those of others, and stressed that enforcement must be carried out in a planned and systematic manner with particular focus on curbing violations such as drunken driving, carrying passengers in goods vehicles, illegal parking on highways, unauthorised vehicle modifications affecting stability, and the use of mobile phones while driving.
It was further highlighted that district-specific road safety challenges must be addressed through effective coordination among departments and with the support of the district administration.
Emphasising a broader role, the Transport Commissioner stated that RTOs must go beyond their role as regulators and also function as educators by creating widespread awareness among the public regarding traffic violations and their severe consequences, and by promoting road safety as a mass movement with active participation from citizens.
Thakur also indicated that, going forward, road safety performance will form a key component of the performance appraisal of RTOs.
On the occasion, the Transport Commissioner highlighted various initiatives undertaken by the department in the field of road safety and ongoing reforms in the transport sector, with particular emphasis on reforms in the driving licence issuance system, ensuring transparency in vehicle fitness certification, and leveraging technology to control reckless driving.
Besides, the RTOs have further been instructed to ensure that passenger vehicles accord the highest priority to passenger safety and to closely monitor accident-prone locations, taking necessary corrective measures through proper assessment and inter-departmental coordination.
