KATHMANDU: The Development and Technology Committee under the House of Representatives (HoR) has reiterated some suggestions to the concerned sides on the reform of transport system in order to ensure road safety.
In an interaction held here with representatives of concerned bodies on how the road accidents could be reduced, committee President Kalyani Kumari Khadka blamed that the concerned ministry, its subordinate bodies and entrepreneurs did not abide by the recommendation it made to them from time to time. She added that the same horror of accidents is repeated for four years.
She asked for quick response and implementation of its directives. Minister for Transport Basanta Nembang however said the Ministry was serious for traffic and road safety. He also committed to implementing the suggestions received from the parliamentary committee.
Secretary at the Ministry Devendra Karki said that the process was forwarded to form a Council and Authority to work and monitor the road safety sectors. He added that the process was also forwarded to establish vehicle fitness centre in each State and it was in progress in Hetauda of State-3.
Director General at Department of Road, Keshav Kumar Sharma, said that the Department was building necessary physical infrastructures to ensure road safety. No roads below two lanes have been built in the country as per the decisions made by the government three years ago. According to him, sidewalks were being constructed, traffic signals installed and those faded zebra crossings lightened and homework on to reduce number of road bending in several places.
Likewise, Director General at Department of Transport Management Gagan Bahadur Hamal said that the issues relating to road safety was a multi-stakeholder one and in lack of human resources, the Department and Transport Office would not effectively oversee the road safety related issues.
Committee member Ganesh Pahadi asserted that a single driver riding the vehicle for long hours had also contributed to the growing cases of road accidents. He suggested that the Road Safety Council be made autonomous.
The Council is a line agency under the Ministry. Another member of the Committee Prabhu Saha viewed that the width of the roads should be maintained in consideration to the prospects of growth in the volume of vehicles in future before initiating any road project. Furthermore, with the expansion of roads, the human settlement would grow. Hence, the land requisition strategy be mooted accordingly.
Another member Yagyaraj Sunuwar viewed that in many of the road accidents, it was seen that the driver’s unfamiliarity with the geography and terrain. Another member Rangamati Shahi pressed for the need to expedite the formation of Council and make necessary preparations to ensure road safety.
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