CM Directs Officials to Upgrade Transport Check-Posts to Unmanned

Which Have Been Resumed after the High Court’s Direction for Ensuring Road Safety

BHOPAL / While Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday directed the officials during the review meeting of the transport department to start unmanned systems at interstate check-posts, the check-points are currently running after the high court directions in the state.

The interstate transport check-posts are being run in the state after the directions of Madhya Pradesh High Court principal bench Jabalpur in public interest litigation filed for road safety. The state government has itself produced an affidavit before the court saying the enforcement activities would be geared up by resuming the interstate check-posts and setting up around 90 flying squads to curb the road accidents. “Executing enforcement activities cannot be possible without humans to curb road mishaps in our country in the present circumstances”, an expert on road safety affairs says.

It is known that the Supreme Court had said the states while deciding a petition, the interstate transport check-posts are the checking points to curb the illegal transportation not the revenue generation centers.

CM Chouhan suggested the transport ministry for making a rational transport policy for the future so that the transport services can further be improved.

Commending the use of information technology in departmental working, Chouhan said that the use of IT has been increased in the major services of the Department. He emphasized that it should be increased more in the future.

“Technology has been used in improving the functioning of the transport department, it should be utilized to providing transport facilities in rural areas as well”, The Chief Minister said. “There is a need to find alternative ways to increase the revenue of the department”, CM further said.

The CM directed to increase the transport services in rural areas as per the need.

Directing the officials, CM said that an unmanned system to be developed at the interstate check-posts so that the common people should be protected from the troubles.

Chouhan addressed the need to make the scrapping policy a reality and to make the state a leader in the field of e-vehicle, establishing Vehicle Fitness Centers through Accredited Driving Training Centers and private service providers. Discussions were also held in the meeting about the use of the e-challan system, intercity transport authority, and high-security registration plates.

CM appreciated the use of faceless services, four of which include making a learning licence, issuing a duplicate driving licence, extending driving licence and changing address.

The officials informed the CM how they have trained 337 women to drive and make them self-employed as per his previous instructions to make Madhya Pradesh self-reliant.

CM also said that pilgrim vehicles that come from other places to Chitrakoot, will not be charged extra and unnecessary fees. A decision will be taken soon.

Transport and Revenue Minister Govind Singh Rajput, Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Bains, and Additional Chief Secretary Transport SN Mishra were present in the review meeting.