In an effort to reduce the number of road accidents and raise public awareness of traffic rules, the Uttar Pradesh government, on the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, will run a Road Safety Fortnight from July 17 to 31.

During the fortnight, employees who arrive at work without a helmet for the second time in a department will not be given an entry and counted absent. At the same time, a meeting of the District Road Safety Committee will also be organised as part of the Road Safety Fortnight.

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In this regard, a district road safety action plan will be prepared and sent to the Transport Commissioner by the end of the fortnight. Additionally, a 15-day action plan has also been prepared.

The campaign will be organised on the basis of the action plan of the departments related to road safety, officials said here on Tuesday.

On the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the road safety fortnight will be organised on the basis of the action plan of the departments related to it, including, Transport, Home, Public Works Department, Medical and Education Department.

It may be noted that compared to last year, there has been an increase of 5.5 per cent in road accidents and 4.2 percent in the number of deaths caused by it. Road accidents have claimed more lives of two-wheeler drivers. Concerned about it, the government is paying special attention to a decrease in traffic accidents and raising awareness among the public. In this sequence, this campaign is being started.

A 15-day action plan has been prepared to celebrate the Road Safety Fortnight. According to the proposed programme, public representatives like MPs, and MLAs will be invited to the inauguration ceremony. Officers from the relevant departments will also participate at the same time.

Office bearers of buses, trucks, auto unions, and NGOs related to transport will be called, and their opinions solicited. At the same time, after prayer, students will be administered an oath to follow the rules while receiving information about road safety.

Taking stern action against the employees who disobey the traffic rules, the Yogi government has issued instructions that all personnel coming to the office premises of all departments without wearing helmets will be warned publicly. Warning sign boards will be installed on the office premises.

In the future, entry of personnel on two-wheelers without helmets will be prohibited, and they will be considered absent. Publicity of road safety will be ensured through a public address system.

Many events will be organized during the Road Safety Fortnight. With the assistance of the Save Life Foundation, drivers will receive training in safe driving and first responder skills in all 75 districts during this time. A workshop related to basic and advanced life support will be organized for medical and paramedical students by the Department of Surgery and Orthopedics of the Medical College on behalf of the Department of Medical Education.

Traffic police personnel doing excellent work will be felicitated. The eyes and health of the school bus drivers will also be evaluated with the aid of Transport department. Through Project Management Consultancy, online training will be provided to basic, secondary and higher education teachers. Awareness will be created through Rangoli and poster competition in schools.