Local artistes perform a street-corner play to promote the use of helmets and warn about the dangers of using mobiles while riding bikes on the first day of the Road Safety Week near Raj Bhavan on Monday. (Prashant Mitra)
“We are telling people that a little thought on our part can save our own life and the lives of others,” said founder of Rise Up Rishabh Anand. “Street plays on road safety were staged at ATT More, Morabadi and a few shopping malls. Poster contests were organised at Albert Ekka Chowk, Nucleus Mall and Oxygen Park. We have more events lined up this week,” he said.
In Jamshedpur, Jusco MD Tarun Daga and Jusco Shramik Union president Raghunath Pandey flagged off 50 Tata Magic vans and vehicles carrying banners on traffic rules from the Jusco office in Bistupur. The vans will roam around the steel city.
“Everyone knows the dos and don’ts but very few follow them. We are trying to usher in behavioural change. People generally avoid thinking about problems till something bad happens. But awareness has an important part to play in preventing a road tragedy,” said Daga.
In 2017, 1.47 lakh people died in road deaths in India.
Traffic rules can’t be forced down people’s throats, people must realise the need to follow them. That’s what crusaders said this National Road Safety Week, an annual event of Union ministry of road transport and highways, which started on Monday.
In the capital, district administration, project implementation unit of road safety wing and social outfit Rise Up started a weeklong campaign. At Kutchery, Ranchi traffic DSP Ranjeet Lakra flagged off a van mounted with an LED screen that wouldstop at various spots to make passers-by aware of traffic rules.
Volunteers of Rise Up, working on road safety for the past four years, visited Zilla School and DAV Public School Gandhinagar with pamphlets to promote awareness among students who are often victims of rash driving and accidents.
At CarToon play school, built by Rise Up on the theme of road safety, small children were taught simple tips on crossing roads safely and wearing helmets. Children were also made to wear helmets on school premises.
