HYDERABAD, January 31: Telangana Transport and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar flagged off a road safety awareness walkathon at MDA Grounds on NTR Marg. The event saw a large participation of students and transport department officials, who carried placards promoting road safety.
Rajya Sabha MP Anil Kumar Yadav, MLC Balamoori Venkat, Transport Department Principal Secretary Vikas Raj, Hyderabad Collector Anudeep Durishetty, Deputy Mayor Srilatha Shobhan Reddy, Corporator Vijaya Reddy, Transport Commissioner Surendra Mohan, and other officials attended the event.
Speaking at the event, Minister Ponnam Prabhakar emphasised that road safety is a shared responsibility. He stated that preventing even one road accident-related death would be a significant achievement. The minister highlighted that in his 25 years of political career, this was one of the most important initiatives undertaken by the Transport Department.
He acknowledged the efforts of transport authorities, who have conducted various awareness programs across 33 districts, engaging nearly 15 lakh students and citizens. He also noted that the Telangana government is actively identifying and addressing accident-prone “black spots” to reduce road mishaps.
The minister announced plans to introduce road safety as part of the school curriculum in the future. Awareness initiatives, including songs on traffic rules, are being used to educate the public. He warned that strict actions, including license suspensions, would be taken against those violating traffic laws. Repeated offenders may also face blacklisting, restricting their ability to purchase vehicles in the future.
Ponnam Prabhakar stressed the importance of community participation in road safety awareness campaigns. He highlighted that the government is committed to expanding such initiatives, including setting up traffic awareness parks in schools. He urged citizens to follow traffic rules and drive responsibly to prevent accidents.
