New initiatives to strengthen road safety in UP: Expansion of 'Sadak Suraksha Mitra' and 'Rahveer' Yojana

Under the guidance of CM Yogi Adityanath, the 'Road Safety Mitra' program and the 'Rahveer' programs are being promoted in the state with the aim of preventing road accidents and increasing awareness.

Following the CM's instructions, activities under both these schemes have been intensified in all districts of the state. The objective of these schemes is to spread road safety awareness among the youth and ensure quick assistance and medical facilities for accident victims. This aims to effectively reduce the number of road accidents on one hand, and reduce the number of fatalities in case of accidents on the other. The state government has entrusted the responsibility of monitoring these schemes to the District Road Safety Committees, through which road safety is being transformed into a mass movement.The Central Government's 'Sadak Suraksha Mitra' program is currently active in 28 districts of the state. This scheme focuses on making young people active participants in road safety campaigns.Under the program, 423 young volunteers in UP have registered on the 'My Bharat' portal and are receiving training. The State Public Service Foundation organized the first training camp in Gautam Buddha Nagar, Noida. In this camp, volunteers were trained in road safety rules, accident management, and awareness campaigns. A budget of Rs. 14 lakh has been approved for this program, with a provision of Rs. 50,000 for each of the 28 districts. This amount will be used for road safety training, awareness, and regional activities.The successful implementation of the Sadak Suraksha Mitra program will not only reduce accidents in the state but will also foster awareness and a sense of social responsibility among young people.On the other hand, the 'Rahveer' (Road Hero) scheme focuses on providing prompt medical assistance during the "golden hour" – the first hour after a road accident. Launched by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, this scheme encourages ordinary citizens to provide immediate assistance to accident victims. Under the scheme, a "Rahveer" who takes a victim to the hospital within the golden hour receives a reward of ₹25,000. The objective is to reduce the number of fatalities in road accidents. The Assistant Regional Transport Officer in each district has been designated as the nodal officer for this scheme. So far, five "Rahveers" have been selected under this scheme in Uttar Pradesh, from the districts of Basti, Kaushambi, Sitapur, Aligarh, and Kasganj. These schemes are giving a new dimension to road safety in Uttar Pradesh, a state with the largest network of highways and roads. Under the guidance of CM Yogi Adityanath, the state transport department has planned more training camps in the coming months. Citizens, especially young people, are urged to actively participate in these schemes and contribute to making the state's roads safer.