Thursday, 13 April 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Driver Welfare Scheme on anvil for the drivers on Yatra route
Transport department will launch the Driver Welfare Scheme to provide necessary training to vehicle operators and mentally strengthen them ahead of Char Dham Yatra. Besides the training, the department will also make arrangements to provide necessary rest to the drivers during their journeys along with food and water under this scheme. They will also undergo health related tests before going on the journey to ensure they are physically and mentally prepared for the journey. The department will spend Rs 50 lakh in the first phase of the scheme. The transport minister Chandan Ram Dass said this on Wednesday in a review meeting of the preparations of Char Dham Yatra with the officials of the transport department. He said that the department has made sufficient arrangements in order to provide regular and smooth transport service during Char Dham Yatra. He said that a total of 1,584 buses will operate during the Yatra on rotation including 1,069 stage carriage buses and 515 contract carriage buses. Besides this, 3,200 additional buses will also be operated including 1,900 buses from other states. He said that the department will also operate 100 buses of the Uttarakhand Transport Corporation (UTC) during Yatra. If the department observes a rise in the number of pilgrims, 100 buses of Kumaon division will be operated on various routes as per the requirement. Dass also directed the officials to not unnecessarily divert UTC buses from main routes during Yatra and asked them to make all necessary arrangements in advance. He also asked the officials to take action to improve road safety in recognised black spots and make the roads pothole-free to provide safe journey to pilgrims. He said that there is a possibility of an increase in the number of pilgrims this year considering which, the officials should ensure the implementation of alternate traffic plan prepared to prevent excessive jam on travel routes, especially in Rishikesh and Haridwar on weekends.
Dass also flagged off 30 bike squads from the transport commissioner’s office in Dehradun after the review meeting. He said that the bike squads will be deployed in accident-prone districts to take proper action under traffic enforcement to ensure road safety.
