Satish Sharma reviews functioning of Transport Department; asks for strict compliance to traffic rules

JAMMU : Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Information Technology, Transport, Youth Services & Sports, and Science & Technology, Satish Sharma, on Thursday convened a review meeting regarding functioning of the Transport Department for Jammu Division at the Civil Secretariat, Jammu.

The meeting was attended by all wRegional Transport Officers (RTOs) and Assistant Regional Transport Officers (ARTOs) of the division.

The Minister had a detailed review of the departmental functioning across key domains, emphasizing transparency, efficiency and strict enforcement of transport regulations.

Taking serious note of recent road accidents, the Minister stressed that vehicle fitness must be ensured without any compromise. He directed the officers to strictly enforce the fitness norms, with special attention to critical components such as tyres, mirrors, front glass and emergency exits in public transport vehicles.

Satish Sharma called for stringent action against the defaulting officers and warned that any negligence in enforcement would not be tolerated. He further directed the enforcement teams to curb the use of retreaded tyres and unauthorized vehicles plying without valid fitness certificates.

Highlighting road safety as a top priority, the Minister issued directions for zero tolerance against overloading and repeat offenders, strict check on school buses, including CCTV compliance and speed limiting devices besides re-evaluation of hilly route permits to ensure passenger safety identification and mitigation of accident-prone black spots. He emphasized the need for coordinated efforts with the concerned agencies to reduce road accidents and ensure safer transport systems.

The Minister directed the department to intensify awareness campaigns under the road safety initiatives, including promotion of helmet use, seat belts and child safety measures. He also instructed the officers to organize special campaigns against drug abuse (Nasha Mukt Abhiyan) in collaboration with the stakeholders, including youth organizations and educational institutions.

Satish Sharma stressed the need to resolve the operational issues in the online platforms such as Vahan and Sarathi and ensure seamless service delivery to citizens. He also called for improving integration with digital services and reducing delays in issuance of documents like driving licences and registration certificates.

He emphasized time-bound disposal of e-challans, grievances and public complaints, directing the officers to enhance accountability and responsiveness.

The Minister reviewed revenue collection trends and directed the officers to meet the annual targets while addressing the gaps and leakages. He also sought updates on pending dues and instructed for strict monitoring of revenue-generating heads.

The Minister reviewed staffing position, infrastructure gaps and availability of enforcement equipment, directing for timely augmentation wherever required. He stressed the continuous capacity building and training of staff to improve the departmental performance.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to public welfare, the Minister underscored the importance of efficient grievance redressal mechanisms, timely RTI responses and reduction in pendency of court cases and audit objections.

He directed the officers to work with integrity, enhanced coordination and a sense of responsibility, ensuring that the Transport Department emerges as a model of efficient, transparent and citizen-friendly governance.