Himachal Pradesh Industries and Transport Minister Bikram Singh said that the Transport Department has earned revenue of Rs 1985.93 crore under various heads, in the last four and a half years.

The revenue target for the financial year 2022-23 is Rs 512.10 crore and in the first quarter the department has earned a revenue of Rs 182.78 crore which is Rs 85.70 crore more than the corresponding period last year, he informed.

Addressing media persons here on Saturday, after the third meeting of the State Transport Development and Road Safety Council chaired by him, Singh disclosed that the department has collected a fine of Rs 22.28 crore through 129570 challan against the violators of motor vehicle rules.

Exhorting to be Good Samaritans, he exhorted the public to voluntarily come forward to administer immediate assistance or emergency care to a person injured in an accident within Golden Hour.

Singh said the Himachal Road Safety Fund and Activities Rules, 2022 has been notified by the Government under which implementation and strengthening of road safety measures and activities are being ensured.

The State Government has released Rs 18.38 crore for road safety. A road safety action plan of Rs 28.52 crore has been proposed for the year 2022-23, he informed.

He said in view of the seriousness of road safety, a Road Safety Cell has been established under the Transport Department, in which officers of Public Works, Transport, Police, Health and Education departments have been included.

Accident prone black spots are being removed through NHAI and Public Works Department, he said, adding that an amount of Rs. 75 lakh has been released to the police department for liquor sensor and speed check radar.

The speed limit of vehicles has been re-fixed, he maintained.

He said that to make school students aware of road safety, a course on road safety has been prepared in collaboration with HP State Council of Educational Research and Training Solan, which would commence from class VI to X in the coming academic session.

Under the road safety awareness campaign by the department, an amount of Rs 3 crore has been released to the education department for establishment of road safety clubs in higher secondary schools and colleges.