CHANDIGARH: 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.
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 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.
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.