JAMMU: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Thursday called for extensive use of GIS-based and data-driven approaches to identify accident-prone and vulnerable road stretches across Jammu and Kashmir, stressing that focused technological and engineering interventions are key to reducing road fatalities in the Union Territory.
Chairing a review meeting on the implementation of Supreme Court–mandated road safety directives, the Chief Secretary directed all concerned departments to prepare a clear, time-bound roadmap for compliance with each directive.
The meeting was attended by Administrative Secretaries, senior Traffic Police officers, and Heads of Departments, while Deputy Commissioners participated via video conferencing from their respective districts.
Emphasising evidence-based decision-making, Dulloo said analysis of transport and traffic data should guide targeted safety measures, strategic deployment of traffic police, and corrective engineering works on accident-prone stretches. He also underlined the importance of deterrence, directing strict action against habitual and serious traffic violators, including cancellation of driving licences, registration certificates and other statutory penalties.
Reviewing accident data available on the i-RAD portal, the Chief Secretary examined trends related to time, location, road classification and causes of accidents. He also sought updates from road construction agencies—PWD, NHAI, NHIDCL, BRO and SAMPARK—on the removal of black spots as per the Black Spot Protocol, besides traffic calming measures, safety signage and installation of speed-limiting devices in school buses.
Secretary, Transport Department, Avny Lavasa informed the meeting that since the operationalisation of the i-RAD portal in June 2022, a total of 20,135 road accidents involving 32,819 persons have been reported in J&K, resulting in 3,688 fatalities and over 29,000 injuries. She added that major highways, particularly in Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur and Rajouri districts, account for the majority of accidents, with rash driving and over-speeding contributing to nearly 50 per cent of incidents in 2025.
The IGP Traffic, M. Suleman briefed the meeting on the functioning of surveillance and traffic signal cameras under ITMS and ILTS, stating that over 14.9 lakh e-challans were issued in 2025 alone, with fines amounting to Rs 145.12 crore.
The meeting also reviewed the Road Accident Victim Fund, trauma care facilities along highways, the functioning of IDTR Kot Bhalwal and ICC Samba, and district-level road safety audits.
Reiterating the government’s commitment, the Chief Secretary said coordinated enforcement, engineering solutions, public awareness and strict adherence to judicial and statutory norms remain central to saving precious lives on J&K roads.
