Take Dasara pledge to stick to traffic rules: Min to citizens

Hyderabad: Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar has appealed to the people to take a pledge on Dussehra to follow traffic rules.

Concerned about the rising number of road accidents, the Transport Minister issued an appeal to the public through a video message on Thursday. While extending his wishes for Bathukamma and Dussehra, he urged everyone to pledge to follow traffic rules, reminding them that accidents happen without warning.

“When accidents happen, we won’t be there to say anything. My mother always advises me to take precautions when I go out,” said Ponnam Prabhakar.

“Dussehra symbolises the victory of good over evil. This Dussehra, when we perform Ayudha pooja with our family members, we should pledge to follow traffic rules, wear helmets and seat belts,” he added.

The Transport Minister stated that 1,60,000 people die in road accidents in India every year. “An average of 20 people lose their lives in road accidents in Telangana every day. It is our responsibility to take precautions for our safety,” he said.

The minister, seated in the driver’s seat of a car, urged people not to drive under the influence of alcohol, emphasising that drunken driving is a major cause of many road accidents.

Road traffic accident data shows 8,184 persons died on roads in Telangana during 2022. The State recorded a total of 22,235 accidents, and overspeeding accounted for 85 per cent of the accidents.

There has been an alarming jump in road accidents in the limits of Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda Commissionerates which cover Greater Hyderabad and surrounding areas.

Cyberabad Commissionerate alone recorded a 21 per cent jump in road accidents this year till July compared to 2023. While 1,947 accidents occurred in the limits of Cyberabad in 2023, the number of accidents till July 2024 was 2,365.