Srinagar, March 11: The Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a comprehensive review meeting of the Transport Department to assess measures being taken for effective traffic management, reduction of road accidents, and strengthening of road safety mechanisms across Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting, which included representatives from the Finance ACS, PWD ACS, Home Secretary, GAD Commissioner Secretary, and Transport Secretary, also included the IGP, Traffic, Transport Commissioner, Director of Motor Garages, and other relevant officials.
Deputy Commissioners and representatives from NHAI, BRO, SAMPARK, and NHIDCL attended the meeting via video conferencing.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary reviewed the implementation of key road safety initiatives, including enforcement drives by the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) and Traffic Police, the functioning of the Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD) portal, and the rollout of the PM Rahat Scheme, aimed at providing immediate assistance to road accident victims.
Dulloo emphasized the need for strict enforcement of the road safety policy, along with engineering measures by the relevant construction agencies. He stressed the importance of strong coordination among departments, including Transport, Traffic Police, Health, Public Works, and district administrations, to ensure effective road safety measures. He directed the utilization of the road safety fund for accident victims and the effective implementation of the PM Rahat scheme.
He also instructed District Road Safety Committees to hold regular meetings and prepare district-level action plans aimed at reducing accidents and improving traffic management. He further instructed road construction agencies to conduct regular road safety audits of existing and new roads and ensure prompt rectification of hazardous locations to minimize accident risks.
The Transport Secretary, Avny Lavasa, informed the meeting that the Transport Department, in coordination with other agencies, had been conducting detailed analysis of road accidents through the iRAD portal, which helps identify accident hotspots and enables data-driven interventions.
She elaborated that the Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD) system digitally records accident data and supports scientific accident investigation, helping in corrective measures to reduce the occurrence of such mishaps and save lives.
She also informed that stakeholders were directed to ensure timely data entry and verification on the portal. Training programs were also being conducted in coordination with the National Informatics Centre to improve the quality and timeliness of accident reporting.
The meeting also reviewed the implementation of the Prime Minister’s Road Accident Victims’ Hospitalization and Assured Treatment (PM Rahat) Scheme, which provides cashless treatment to accident victims during the "golden hour" up to Rs 1.5 lakhs in each case.
It was revealed that the accident analysis carried out through the portal had identified 16 major accident hotspots across J&K, including locations in districts such as Jammu, Udhampur, Reasi, and Srinagar. She added that over 3,800 accidents had been reported in Jammu district alone since June 2022, while around 1,500 accidents were recorded in Srinagar, highlighting the need for targeted interventions in high-risk corridors.
The review also highlighted the extensive enforcement measures being undertaken by the Traffic Police and Motor Vehicles Department to curb violations and ensure safer roads.
The IGP, Traffic, M. Suleiman, reported that strict action was being taken against traffic violators under the Motor Vehicles Act. During 2025, a total of 15,947 vehicles were seized, and 786 vehicles had already been seized during 2026.
He added that the department had also deployed modern traffic management equipment, including breath analyzers, body-worn cameras, speed detection devices, reflective safety gear, traffic cones, and LED traffic batons for field units.
Additionally, it was highlighted that 16 Highway Patrol Vehicles and 19 Interceptor Vehicles had been deployed for enhanced patrolling and monitoring on national and state highways, enabling swift action against traffic violations.
The Transport Commissioner, Vishesh Paul Mahajan, gave out that this scheme aimed to ensure immediate hospitalization of road accident victims without financial constraints and facilitates coordination among police, hospitals, and the Transport Department.
Regarding its implementation, the Transport Commissioner, Vishesh Paul informed that all districts of the UT had been onboarded under the scheme. Necessary financial and digital infrastructure, including RBI and PFMS accounts, had been established, and live entry of accident cases under the scheme started from March 9, 2026.
The Transport Commissioner further apprised the meeting about the Road Accident Victim Fund (RAVF) being utilized to support accident-related interventions and relief measures. He divulged that ₹1226.10 lakh had been received under the fund, out of which ₹1153.10 lakh had already been released to RTOs and ARTOs, while ₹73 lakh remains available for further utilization.
The Chief Secretary called for greater use of technology, strict enforcement of traffic laws, and enhanced public awareness campaigns to significantly reduce road accidents across Jammu and Kashmir.
