JAMMU: Minister of State for Home, Mr. Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo while replying to a clubbed Calling Attention Notice by Mr. Bashir Ahmad Magray and Dr. Bashir Ahmad Shah (Veeri) informed the House that on March 18, 2013 at around 11:00 hours, a minibus bearing registration No. JK 13-4375 driven by Mr. Mohammad Shafi Dar R/O Dangerpora, Pulwama while on its way from Gusoo to Pulwama skidded off the road at Lone Mohalla Neewa, Pulwama resulting in injuries to 15 persons. Out of the injured, one passenger, namely, Mr. Bashir Ahmad Shah S/O Ghulam Mohammad Shah R/O Loswani Newa, Pulwama later on died at SKIMS, Soura during the intervening night of March 19th, 2013. The Minister said that a case FIR No 78/2013 u/s 279, 337, 427, 304A RPC stands registered at Police Station, Pulwama and investigation has been taken up. The preliminary investigations have revealed that the accident has been caused due to rash/negligent driving, he added. Mr. Kichloo said that since road traffic accidents are not covered under current SDRF Guidelines, no relief could be provided to the victims by the District Administration, Pulwama., adding that some financial assistance from District Red Cross Fund has been provided to the family of the deceased person.
The Minister said that the State Government has created Passenger Welfare Fund in the Motor Vehicles Department in which Rs. 25,000 is given to the kin of deceased, Rs. 10,000 to seriously injured and Rs. 5,000 to a person received minor injury on the recommendations of the Committee headed by the respective Divisional Commissioners, Jammu/Kashmir.
Mr. Kichloo said the ARTO, Pulwama has referred the case to RTO, Kashmir (Srinagar) for sanction of ex-gratia relief under the Passenger Welfare Fund. He said that as soon as the recommendations of the Committee are received by the concerned department, relief will be disbursed to the next of kin of the deceased/serious/minor injured persons as admissible.
The Minister said that the Motor Vehicles Department has taken some precautionary measures to avoid such accidents including issuance of driving license to drive public service after three years of possessing Light Motor Vehicle license, displaying details of driving licenses, including photographs, duly attested by concerned RTO/ARTO on the wind screen of vehicles while driving Motor Vehicles, all 25 years or older commercial/ passenger vehicles have been taken off from the road and 15 years older passengers have to go for mechanical fitness test.
Mr. Kichloo said that the Motor Vehicles Department, in coordination with Traffic Police Department has constituted special checking squads for organizing regular drives, in respect of violations, caused by road users and to deter the violators, stringently under law particularly rash and negligent driving, plying of vehicles beyond the allotted routes of jurisdiction and use of Mobile phone while driving and quick rescue operation teams. He said that the Government has also constituted Quick rescue operation teams headed by respective District Development Commissioners in the hilly districts across the state. Mr. Kitchloo said that in addition, the Traffic Regulation System on this route has been further enhanced to avoid such accidents in future. |
