Agartala, 10th October 2026 : Tripura Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha on Saturday said that enacting laws alone would not be enough to prevent road accidents or improve traffic management.
He stressed that collective efforts, public awareness and a strong sense of responsibility among citizens were essential to ensure road safety.
The Chief Minister said this while inaugurating a programme for the distribution of various road safety equipment, jointly organised by the Road Safety and Transport Department at the AD Nagar Police Ground.
As part of efforts to strengthen traffic management across the state, equipment including breath analysers, trolley barricades, helmets, raincoats, reflective jackets and road divider poles was distributed through the Road Safety Fund. An expenditure of Rs 1.29 crore was incurred for the initiative.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Saha said the state government is committed to reducing road accidents by strengthening road safety measures.
He pointed out that road accidents often leave families facing severe emotional and financial hardships, particularly when victims lose their lives or suffer permanent disabilities.
“When a person dies or becomes permanently disabled in a road accident, the entire family suffers mentally and financially. Such an irreparable loss continues to affect the family for the rest of its life,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that rapid urbanisation across India, including Tripura, over the past decade had made traffic management in both small and large cities increasingly challenging. With population growth leading to a rise in private vehicles, the limited width of roads in the state had added to the pressure on the traffic system.
He said traffic congestion and road accidents had consequently emerged as major concerns.
Dr Saha highlighted that road accidents in Tripura declined by 9 per cent in 2025 compared with 2024, while fatal accidents fell by 15 per cent. The number of deaths in road accidents also decreased by around 13 per cent, he said, attributing the improvement to measures undertaken by the state.
Emphasising coordination among departments, Dr Saha said the Transport, Health and Public Works departments had important roles to play in preventing accidents and reducing fatalities.
He also called for wider use of technology to improve traffic management, increased police patrolling at accident-prone locations and expanded digital surveillance.
The concerned departments, he added, should intensify awareness campaigns among drivers and the general public about traffic regulations and the consequences of road accidents.
The Chief Minister urged parents to educate their children about traffic rules and road safety. He also asked the Police Department to take a stricter approach towards vehicles parked on roads at night.
Dr Saha said that a multi-storey parking facility had already been developed at the old motor stand in Agartala. He urged the Agartala Municipal Corporation and other concerned departments to ensure adequate parking facilities in residential complexes, flats and shopping malls being constructed in the city.
Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, in-charge Director General of Police G.S. Rao, Traffic Superintendent of Police Kanta Jangir, Urban Development Secretary Milind Ramteke, Transport Department Secretary U.K. Chakma and other officials were present at the programme.
