Shillong May 19: With the city and the state as a whole witnessing a rapid rise in road accidents causing not just injuries and property damage but also a rise in accident-related deaths, the Department of Management and Commerce studies, Martin Luther Christian University, today organised a Road Safety Awareness Programme, along the Mawkdok-Sohra road, Sohra Sub-Division. The main objective of this Awareness Programme is to remind car drivers, bike riders and even pedestrians about the safety measures one must take while travelling on the road.
With an approximate of 280 road accidents all across Meghalaya, in which a total 204 persons have lost their lives in 2016, the need for such measures has become an urgent need. According to the data provided by the Office of the Sub Divisional Police Officer, Sohra the stretch of road between Mawkdok and Sohra has seen 34 road accidents, 40 injured and 2 deaths in 205 while in 2016 a total of 33 road accidents with 52 injured persons and 2 deaths.
The Department of Management and Commerce Studies, MLCU during their awareness campaign which has been sponsored by the NSS MLCU Unit, distributed pamphlets and stickers with traffic rules and regulations to vehicles traveling along this particular stretch of road.
The students also spoke to many tourists present at the Duwan Sing Syiem View Point Bridge, who came to visit the region from across the country on the dos and don’ts of driving and traffic rules.
Speaking about this initiative the SDO of Sohra, Mr. Ankit Kumar, IAS, said that such a activity is much needed in this area to sensitise the public about the various road safety measures to ensure a accident free zone. He added that this particular stretch of road has witnessed many accidents over the years and also they are many youths who would ride their motorbikes on this road doing bike stunts which have proven fatal time and again.
Mr. Kumar further thanked and commended the initiative taken by the University to organized such community outreach programmes all for the benefit of the society.
