The AP Government is strongly pitching for a National Institute for Road and Transport Safety in Visakhapatnam besides improvement and modernisation of driving tracks in the State, according to Minister for Transport, Roads and Buildings Sidda Raghava Rao.
The Minister was here to participate in a two-day national workshop on road safety, being organised by the AP Government , in association with the World Bank here from Friday. The State government has already sent the proposal to the Union government seeking establishment of the world-class institute, estimated to cost Rs.700 crore. The State government is confident that the Centre would give its nod as Vizag meets all the requirements for the proposed project.
The other road safety projects proposed to be taken up in AP include: modernisation of driving test tracks, improvement of road infrastructure and driver training. Interacting with the media, Mr. Raghava Rao said the two-day workshop, the first of its kind in the country would see the participation of experts from Australia, New Zealand, USA and the UK. Transport Ministers of various States in India, Transport Commissioners, Transport Secretaries and a team from the World Bank would participate in the workshop, to be inaugurated by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari, the chief guest of the inaugural session, would deliver the keynote address.
Online registrationMr. Raghava Rao said the AP Transport Department had introduced several changes to provide better services to the public. The Department has introduced online registration of vehicles for the first time in AP in Visakhapatnam a few months ago. A total of 83 services have been brought under the online system recently and the system was being extended all over the State in a phased manner.
Transport Commissioner N. Balasubrahmanyam and Special Chief Secretary, Transport, Roads and Buildings, Busi Sam Bob, were present at the media conference.
Chief Secretary Satya Prakash Tucker, and Global Lead, Road Safety, The World Bank, Soames Job will also participate in inaugural session.
