Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, on Saturday, said his government intends to reduce road accidents by 50 percent in the state. In order to achieve this goal, he informed that the government would carry out surveys and assess the causes of road deaths and rectify the weak spots.

Speaking at the inauguration of  the Institute of Driving Training and Research in Karnal, the CM said about 5 lakh road accidents occur in India every year.

“In these accidents, about 1.5 lakh people lose their lives due to lack of driving skills. Haryana is at the 13th place in the country’s road accident graph and the state government is making sincere efforts to curb road accidents,” he added.

Khattar said after inauguration of  the Institute of Driving Training and Research, residents of Karnal and adjoining districts will be greatly benefited by the establishment of this centre. Every day 300 to 350 youth will be given training to drive light and heavy motor vehicles, he said adding with good training in driving, we will get good drivers and road accidents will substantially be lowered.

Khattar said the Driving Training Institute in Karnal has been started with the help of Honda Motor Scooter India Limited and will surely contribute significantly in this direction. This centre has been set up on 9.25 acres of land at a cost of about Rs 34 Crore.

Designed as per international standards, the institute has an automated driving test track, modern training equipment and computerized system with class rooms, workshops, engine rooms and electronic displays.

The centre would provide training for driving two wheelers, three wheelers, four wheelers, light motors and heavy vehicles. The facility will also have an automated driving test track to provide practical training on the test track and issue driving licenses. This institute will be fully automated and there will be no human intervention in its working. A hostel has also been set up in the centre for students who live far from the centre.

The CM said automated driver training institutes and regional driver training centres will be set up across the state to make adequate arrangements for training of drivers across the state.