Collaboration needed to curb road accidents in Nagaland— Transport Secretary

KOHIMA — The Nagaland transport secretary, Robert Longchari, has called for a united effort to address the escalating number of road accidents and fatalities in the state.

Speaking at a training programme on the Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD) and e-Detailed Accident Report (eDAR) in Kohima, Longchari highlighted the importance of working as a team to achieve safer roads and better safety infrastructure.

He said that road transport is an integral part of daily life but it also has its inherent risks. While road transport systems have minimised distances globally, they have also increased life risks, resulting in the loss of lakhs of lives and serious injuries to many more people, he added.

India accounts for approximately 13% of global road fatalities annually, he said, stressing the urgent need to promote road safety as an essential life skill.

Longchari attributed the rise in accidents in Nagaland to a combination of factors, including a lack of proper driving skills and road safety knowledge, mechanical failures, poor road conditions, rash driving and drunken driving.

With road accidents being a leading cause of death in the country, he said that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has called for joint efforts between state and central governments to enhance road infrastructure and provide road safety information to encourage safer behavior among road users.

“The Motor Vehicles department as the lead agency for Nagaland Road Safety Authority is to achieve ‘Vision Zero: Zero Accidents, Zero Fatalities’ in the state in the next five years,” he said adding that the department is engaged in various activities to raise road safety awareness.

He also informed that district road safety committees have been set up across the state to execute road safety programmes throughout the year. He added that the committees and other non-governmental organisatons are monitored by the Motor Vehicles department to ensure compliance to all the parameters set by the Nagaland Road Safety Authority and the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety (SCCORS).

The transport secretary informed that the implementation of iRAD/ eDAR would ease the compensation process for road accident victims and families. He noted that previously, this process involved lengthy procedures and delays.

“With iRAD/eDAR in place now, the integrated data, instant information, systematic mechanism for processing accident reports will bring relief to victims and victims’ families and even check fake claims,” said Longchari.

Delivering the keynote address, the transport commissioner, Elias T Lotha, stated that road accidents cannot be simply wished away. While there are no sustainable solutions yet, collaboration involving all stakeholders, including road users, could help save lives and foster a safety-conscious society, he said.

He added that, in Nagaland, most fatalities occur on urban roads while rural roads see a higher number of injuries.

The commissioner also highlighted the National Road Safety Policy which broadly outlines the policy initiatives to be undertaken by the government at all levels to improve the road safety activities in the country.

He went on to say that the Nagaland Road Safety Policy, adopted in 2017, directly addresses the need for improved road safety in the state. The policy, he added, aims to make safety a way of life through education and awareness, emphasising the need to advance these approaches in a ‘mission mode.’

He stressed the urgent need to restore normalcy to Nagaland’s roads and prevent avoidable deaths, emphasising that roads are shared spaces requiring courteous use by all. Lotha urged everyone to take personal responsibility for their safety, encouraging drivers, pedestrians and cyclists alike to adopt a defensive approach.

He concluded by expressing confidence that the training participants would work together to increase road safety awareness both within Nagaland and beyond.

Jitender Kumar, chief general manager of National Informatics Centre Services Inc. (NICSI), Delhi, provided a comprehensive overview of the iRAD and eDAR systems. He emphasised that the success of these systems depend on their effective implementation and utilisation at the state, district and local levels.

He also introduced new features incorporated into the iRAD application, including cashless treatment for road accident victims, enhanced maps and data analytics tools. Kumar stressed the importance of regular workshops to disseminate knowledge about these new features among stakeholders.

“The ultimate goal is to achieve ‘Safe roads for all’ in India,” Kumar stated.

He said that the eDAR platform, developed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) with guidance from the High Court of Delhi and the Supreme Court of India, streamlines the claims settlement process for road accident victims. This platform enables digital submission of Detailed Accident Reports (DAR) to e-Courts, expediting compensation claims, he added.

Kumar further urged the participants to actively utilise iRAD and eDAR to enhance road safety in Nagaland.

Lanusungkum Aier, state informatics officer at the National Informatics Centre (NIC) Nagaland State Centre, concluded the presentations with an update on the implementation of iRAD and eDAR within the state.