Jammu, Jan 22 (JKNS): In a decisive push towards reducing road accidents in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Thursday called for GIS-based, data-driven identification of accident-prone and vulnerable road stretches, stressing that technology-backed interventions are key to saving lives on the roads.
As per news agency JKNS, While reviewing the implementation of Supreme Court-mandated road safety directives, the Chief Secretary underscored that granular data mapped district-wise and time-wise must guide engineering corrections, enforcement strategies and deployment of traffic personnel.
He directed departments to prepare a clear, time-bound roadmap for compliance with each judicial directive.
The high-level meeting, attended by Administrative Secretaries, senior Traffic Police officers, Heads of Departments and Deputy Commissioners via video conferencing, took stock of the overall road safety scenario in the Union Territory using data from the Integrated Road Accident Database (i-RAD).
Accident Hotspots, High-Risk Hours Identified
Data presented by the Transport Department revealed that since the launch of the i-RAD portal in June 2022, Jammu and Kashmir has recorded 20,135 road accidents involving 32,819 persons. These incidents claimed 3,688 lives and left 29,131 people injured.
Analysis showed that a majority of accidents occur on major highways, with Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur and Rajouri emerging as high-incidence districts. The most vulnerable time window was identified between 3:00 pm and 9:00 pm, while rash driving and over-speeding alone accounted for nearly 50 percent of road accidents reported in 2025.
Strict Action Against Habitual Violators
Emphasising deterrence, the Chief Secretary directed strict punitive action against habitual and serious traffic offenders. Measures include cancellation of driving licences and registration certificates, seizure of vehicles and revocation of route permits for repeated violations.
Enforcement data showed a sharp rise in action against violators: 40,197 challans were issued in 2024 and 52,543 in 2025, generating fines of Rs 10.15 crore and Rs 15.88 crore respectively. In 2025 alone, authorities seized 1,528 vehicles, suspended 1,641 driving licences, blacklisted 10,439 vehicles, cancelled 1,192 registration certificates and revoked 300 route permits.
Surveillance, E-Challans and Smart Policing
IGP Traffic M. Suleman informed the meeting that Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS) cameras and Intelligent Light Traffic System (ILTS) cameras are now actively monitoring major junctions in Jammu and Srinagar.
The Traffic Police enforced over 12.36 lakh e-challans in 2023, 15.03 lakh in 2024 and 14.92 lakh in 2025, with fines amounting to Rs 85.16 crore, Rs 120.09 crore and Rs 145.12 crore respectively. During 2025, nearly 16,000 vehicles were seized for Motor Vehicles Act violations.
Engineering Fixes, Safer Schools and Trauma Care
Road construction agencies—including PWD, NHAI, NHIDCL, BRO and SAMPARK—were directed to expedite removal of identified black spots as per the Black Spot Protocol. The meeting also reviewed traffic calming measures, installation of safety signage, and mandatory speed-limiting devices in school buses.
Progress on trauma care facilities along highways, the Road Accident Victim Fund, the Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR) at Kot Bhalwal, and the Inspection and Certification Centre (ICC) at Samba was also assessed, along with district-level road safety audits conducted under the DIQC mechanism.
‘Technology Must Save Lives’
Reiterating the government’s commitment, the Chief Secretary said that coordinated enforcement, engineering solutions, public awareness and strict adherence to judicial and statutory norms would be pursued to bring down accident fatalities in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Data must drive decisions. Technology, enforcement and accountability together can make our roads safer and save precious lives,” he stressed. —(JKNS)
