Lucknow: Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant chaired a meeting of the Divisional Road Safety Committee at the Commissioner’s Auditorium and directed officials to take coordinated and time-bound measures to reduce road accidents across Lucknow division.
The meeting reviewed accident figures, fatalities and injuries, action on identified black spots, accident investigations, the Hit and Run Scheme, cashless treatment for accident victims and safety arrangements for school vehicles. Senior officials from traffic police, transport, public works, NHAI, health, municipal administration and other departments attended.
Data presented at the meeting showed that between January and August 2026, road accidents in the division declined by 10.4 per cent compared with the corresponding period of 2025, while the number of injured persons fell by 12.2 per cent. However, fatalities increased by 12.9 per cent. Accidents declined in Unnao, Rae Bareli, Sitapur and Hardoi, while an increase was recorded in Lucknow and Lakhimpur Kheri.
Reviewing pending hit-and-run cases, Pant directed officials to prioritise cases pending up to 2025 and ensure that eligible dependants of deceased victims and injured persons receive financial assistance without unnecessary delay. Of the 227 cases identified under the scheme up to 2025, 198 have been disposed of, leaving 25 cases pending. Officials said 106 cases had been resolved since the previous meeting.
Pant also directed authorities to prepare detailed case studies of locations where three or more people died in road accidents. The studies should identify specific causes, including road conditions, speeding, driver negligence, traffic management, visibility and lighting, followed by permanent corrective measures. Officials said 26 such accidents were investigated between January and August 2026, compared with 29 during the corresponding category in 2025.
The Commissioner asked the PWD, NHAI, LDA and other implementing agencies to complete approved corrective works at black spots on priority. The division has identified 75 black spots in Lucknow, 45 in Rae Bareli, 28 in Sitapur, 25 in Lakhimpur Kheri, 33 in Unnao and 67 in Hardoi.
Reviewing the cashless treatment scheme, Pant stressed that accident victims must receive treatment during the golden hour. He directed the health and transport departments to strengthen coordination with police and improve mapping of hospitals near accident-prone locations so victims can quickly reach empanelled facilities.
He also ordered regular monitoring of school transport safety. District School Transport Safety Committees should function effectively, with regular checks of vehicle fitness, permits, driver verification and other mandatory safety requirements. Schools have been asked to prepare verified, school-wise lists of vehicles, clearly identifying those owned by the institution and those operating on contract.
According to the data presented, the division had 10,395 school vehicles between April 1 and August 31, 2026, including 7,088 registered in schools’ names and 3,307 contract vehicles. Fitness certificates had expired for 575 vehicles and permits for 525 vehicles. Pant directed officials to take action according to rules and ensure that student safety is not compromised.
He further called for regular meetings of School Transport Safety Committees and strict compliance with their decisions. The committees are responsible for checking vehicle documents, identifying stoppages, organising health and eye examinations for drivers and ensuring police verification.
Pant directed all concerned departments to work in close coordination and ensure timely implementation of road safety decisions, with the objective of reducing accidents and improving safety across the division.
