Srinagar, May 14: The five-day workshop on ‘Driving towards road safety, road safety practices in India’ began on Tuesday at National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar.
Institute’s Director, Prof. A Ravinder Nath is the Chief Patron, Head Civil Engineering Department Prof. J.A Bhat as Patron, Dean Academic Affairs, Prof. Mohammad Shafi Mir as Chairman of the workshop.
Dr. Jitendra Gurjar (NSS Coordinator) and Dr. Abdullah Ahmad are the convenors, while as Dr. Vivek, Dr. RP Shukla and Dr. Janani L are the coordinators of the workshop. The session was also attended by Prof.Bashir Ahmed Mir and other dignitaries.
In his inaugural speech, DAA Prof. Mohammad Shafi Mir said road accidents have become a major concern in the society and there is a need for such awareness workshops among the students on the campus.
The workshop organized by NIT Srinagar aligns with the 7th UN Global Road Safety Week, observed from May 15th to 21st, 2023,” he stated.
While quoting a UN report, Prof. Mir said that road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, with around 1.3 million people killed and as many as 50 million people injured each year.
“Earlier this month, NIT Srinagar lost Vipul Tyagi, a student of the Mechanical Engineering Department, in a tragic road accident. The deceased fought for his life at SKIMS Soura for many days but unfortunately lost his battle.
Prof. Mir stressed the importance of Road Safety Audits (RSAs) to prevent these accidents in our society.
On the occasion, Head CED Prof. J.A Bhat stressed the significance of educational campaigns and programs aimed at increasing awareness about road safety among all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.
“Engineers shoulder numerous responsibilities, with the second concern being sightseeing along the roads, and the third issue revolves around inadequate signage. Particularly in areas where the speed limit is below 80, ensuring clear signage becomes imperative,” he said.
Prof. Bhat reiterated the critical need for tailored guidance for the students and general public. I hope that over the next five days, the participants will gain a lot from different workshop sessions about road safety measures, he added.
Dr. Janani L, the workshop coordinator, highlighted that the workshop was organized on short notice in accordance with the directives from the Director of NIT Srinagar. Its primary objective is to raise awareness among young students about road safety, she said.
Dr. Janani said that during the next few days, various experts from renowned institutions will deliver lectures on various topics related to road safety awareness. These workshops are essential and timely, addressing the pressing need of the hour, she added.
A formal vote of thanks was delivered by Dr. Vivek, who graciously acknowledged the tireless efforts of the students who dedicated themselves to make this workshop possible.
“I believe that Knowledge is not restricted to books only. There are numerous parameters involved, including design, expansion, vertical curves, and more. Technically we are expecting advancement in each and every physical parameter. I am very thankful to everyone for making this event successful,” he said.
