Chandigarh, January 01:
The Punjab Government has launched the National Road Safety Month-2026 with the aim to avert road accidents in the state and raising public awareness about road safety.
Addressing the inauguration event today at the Kisaan Bhawan, Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar said that the road accidents are not just statistics but affect the lives of numerous families, leading to the loss of valuable human lives. He emphasized that road safety is not only the responsibility of the government but also of every citizen in society. He further stated that until the government, administration, and the general public work together, there will not be considerable possibility to trim down the number of road accidents.
Transport Minister informed that during the National Road Safety Month (NRSM-26), extensive and multi-faceted awareness campaigns would be conducted across Punjab. As part of this, seminars on road safety, poster and slogan competitions, quiz programs, and interactive sessions will be organized in schools and colleges to educate young people about the importance of traffic rules from an early age.
The Minister also announced that special training sessions for commercial and private drivers; refresher courses for heavy vehicle drivers and focused campaigns will be carried out to ensure strict adherence to traffic rules. He mentioned that there will be strict action against violations such as not wearing helmets and seat belts, driving under the influence of mobile phones, speeding, and driving on the wrong side.
Minister Bhullar also highlighted that driving under the influence of alcohol is a significant cause of road accidents. Keeping this in mind, special checks and enforcement campaigns will be conducted throughout the state during NRSM-26. Additionally, engineering improvements, signages, speed signboards, and other necessary measures will be implemented at identified black spots based on accident data from previous years.
The Minister appealed to all relevant departments, district administrations, educational institutions, non-governmental organizations, industrial units, and the general public to play an active role in making National Road Safety Month-2026 a success. He directed that all the activities related to road safety should be implemented timely, effectively, and at the grassroots level, and better coordination among the departments should be ensured.
The Minister reiterated that road safety is a shared responsibility and is not limited to the traffic police or transport department alone. He emphasized the need to accelerate awareness campaigns to promote safe road behavior among the public. He also said that under the leadership of Chief Minister, Punjab, Bhagwant Singh Mann, the establishment of the Sadak Surakhya Force (SSF) has led to a significant reduction in fatalities on both state and national highways. Furthermore, he advised the public to avoid unnecessary travel during foggy weather and to travel with extreme caution and restraint in low-visibility conditions.
The Lead Agency (Road Safety), Punjab, in collaboration with the Transport Department, Traffic Police, Health Department, Public Works Department, Education Department, and other related agencies, has prepared an extensive action plan for the month-long activities to ensure that road safety messages reach all sections of society effectively.
During the event, Mr. R. Venkata Ratnam, Director General, Lead Agency on Road Safety, Punjab, informed that each district road safety committee (DRSC) has been provided a financial assistance of ₹9.50 lakh under the CFDL scheme. Of this amount, ₹1 lakh has been allocated for purchasing alcohol meters to strengthen enforcement against driving under the influence, especially for commercial and special category drivers. He also stated that, keeping in mind the increased risk of accidents during foggy conditions, road-owning departments have been authorized to use grants for the installation/maintenance of streetlights, road markings, and other traffic safety measures.
He further informed that a detailed list of activities for National Road Safety Month would be finalized in meetings held on December 9 and 30 and sent to all relevant departments, Deputy Commissioners, Police Commissioners, and Senior Superintendents of Police for implementation.
Director General of Police (Traffic), Mr. Amardeep Singh Rai, emphasized the importance of strict enforcement to achieve the goal of zero tolerance for traffic violations. He discussed the positive impact of the establishment of the SSF which is currently monitoring nearly 4,000 kilometers of national and state highways daily. He mentioned that the introduction of SSF has led to a reduction of nearly 50% in fatalities on these roads, which is expected to significantly reduce the total road fatalities in Punjab. He also stated that special enforcement campaigns during the National Road Safety Month will focus on issues like driving under the influence, over-speeding, lane violations, and other serious traffic offenses.
State Transport Commissioner, Mrs. Parneet Shergill, shared that the process for issuing driving licenses has been completely overhauled, making the testing process stricter and more transparent. As a result, the passing rate for driving tests has significantly decreased, ensuring improvements in driving standards across the state.
During the awareness activities, a motorcycle rally was organized near Bestech Mall, SAS Nagar (Mohali), with nearly 200 delivery employees (Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, etc.) participating. Helmets, t-shirts, and caps with road safety messages were distributed to the participants. The rally was flagged off by Mr. R. Venkata Ratnam, Director General, Lead Agency on Road Safety, Punjab, and Mr. Amardeep Singh Rai, DGP (Traffic), Punjab, reinforcing the state’s commitment to increasing road safety awareness among high-risk road users.
On this occasion, Director General Road Safety, R. Venkata Ratnam, DGP Traffic Punjab A. S. Rai, State Transport Commissioner Parneet Shergill, members of the Punjab State Road Safety Council, senior officials from various departments, Traffic Police officers, representatives of road safety-related organizations, heads of educational institutions, and social service organizations were present.
