Lakhimpur Kheri, February 7: To enhance road safety and reduce fatalities, District Magistrate Durga Shakti Nagpal has initiated the 'Zone of Excellence' project in Lakhimpur Kheri, designating a 10 km radius around the Collectorate as a pilot zone. This initiative is part of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's directive to implement the 'No Helmet, No Fuel' campaign statewide, promoting strict compliance with traffic regulations.

During the launch, DM Nagpal personally oversaw the closure of illegal highway cuts, which had become accident-prone areas. She also reviewed road safety measures on the National Highway and honored 84 students actively participating in the campaign with certificates for their contribution to road safety awareness.

District Magistrate Nagpal praised the 84 NSS and NCC students who have taken on the responsibility of road safety ambassadors under the Zone of Excellence initiative. She lauded them as the true champions of the campaign and commended the Student Police Cadets for their dedication to this noble cause.

She further emphasized that unsafe driving, traffic rule violations, and non-usage of helmets and seat belts are primary causes of road accidents. To achieve zero fatalities, all departments involved in road safety must work in coordination through integrated efforts.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Sankalp Sharma stated that the Zone of Excellence initiative would serve as a benchmark for ensuring smooth and safe traffic. The NCC and NSS Student Police Cadets will play a vital role in promoting traffic rule awareness and act as vigilant road safety advocates.

Under this initiative, the district administration is implementing a comprehensive strategy involving technological innovations, digital solutions, and strict enforcement measures to significantly reduce road accidents in the future.

During the event, CMO Dr. Santosh Gupta, Executive Engineer PWD Tarunendra Tripathi, Anil Kumar Yadav, KK Jha, Shubh Narayan, DIOS Dr. Mahendra Pratap Singh, PTO Dr. Kaushalendra, along with officials from various departments involved in the campaign, were present.

As part of the initiative, DM Nagpal supervised the closure of an illegal road cut on the Lakhimpur-Sitapur Road, notorious for frequent accidents. The closure, located 2 km from LRP on the Lakhimpur-Sitapur road, was carried out under the supervision of PWD engineers. Notably, as part of the ongoing campaign, all illegal road cuts will be systematically closed, and a comprehensive action plan has already been prepared for the initiative.

Executive Engineer PWD, Anil Kumar Yadav, stated that a comprehensive plan and strategy have been developed to transform the Zone of Excellence into a no-fatality zone based on the 4-E concept of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). This strategy is derived from an in-depth analysis of national, regional, and district-level accident data from the past three years, along with last year’s data specific to the proposed Zone of Excellence.

Under this initiative, with the Collectorate as the central point, the Zone of Excellence will cover a 10 km radius, where various measures will be implemented in phases. In the first phase, all arrangements related to engineering, education-awareness, and emergency trauma care will be strengthened, and extensive awareness programs will be conducted. Students, NSS volunteers, and NCC cadets will actively participate in these campaigns to enhance public awareness.

After a designated period, strict enforcement measures will be introduced in the zone. The goal is to transform the designated area into a zero-fatality zone through a combination of infrastructure improvements, awareness campaigns, strict enforcement, and better emergency response mechanisms.

Under the Zone of Excellence initiative, roadside encroachments will be removed, over speeding and wrong-way driving will be curbed, and overloading will be strictly controlled. Measures include accident prevention through highway patrolling, closing illegal road cuts, and utilizing technology for road safety.

Along with road engineering, emergency services, and enforcement, special emphasis will be placed on social participation, ambulance services, and the involvement of government and private hospitals. After a set period of awareness programs, strict enforcement actions will be implemented to ensure road safety.