Traffic Cops spread awareness during Road Safety Month

By Tanya Sinha

At one pm on Sunday 31 January 2021, a sudden flurry of activity of traffic cops broke the quiet in Colaba. Just at the bend of Third Pasta Lane on SBS Road in Colaba, a swarm of traffic cops spread out on the road. Local residents, shop-owners even passersby stopped to see what was happening. As part of the Road Safety Month, personnel from Colaba Traffic Division were found stopping motorists to spread the message of road safety. Locals were called to write messages on a board propped up at a make-shift platform.

SAFETY FIRST: Colaba Traffic personnel at the Road Safety Event outside Third Pasta Lane

The Road Safety Week is observed from 11th January to 17th January every year with the aim of making the roads and streets in India safer. In the yearly campaign, the government spreads awareness about how to drive safely in order to avoid accidents and injuries and how can everyone contribute in preventing needless deaths. In 2021, the Road Safety Week was converted into a Road Safety Month.

DETERMINED: Traffic cops stopped motorists to spread the message of road safety

Colaba Traffic Division's Police Inspector Mubarak Shaikh says, "The drive has been a huge success with residents receiving it well. We are holding the sessions in private housing societies as well as in public places like Marine Drive etc."

LEADING: PI Mubarak Shaikh at a road safety event on Marine Drive a while earlier

According to Colaba Traffic Division PSI Vinayak Khanwekar, "The idea is to spread awareness about road safety among motorists and pedestrians. Earlier today we did a similar activity outside K C College at Churchgate and will proceed to NCPA now."

ON A ROLL: Colaba Traffic personnel at a road safety event at Marine Drive

On 18 January 2021, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had inaugurated the Road Safety Month where he highlighted the Central Government's commitment towards safety. He said, "Till now, we have been observing National Road Safety Week. But from today, we will observe National Road Safety Month. 70 per cent of deaths are in the age group of 18-45 years. If we wait till 2030, six-seven lakh more people will die. So, we've made a commitment that before 2025, road accidents and deaths due to it will be brought down by 50 per cent with help of people's participation."

The awareness drive will continue till 17 February 2021.