Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today flagged off 66 new patrol vehicles to strengthen road safety and enforcement across ten districts of Himachal Pradesh — Shimla, Mandi, Kangra, Hamirpur, Una, Bilaspur, Kullu, Sirmaur, Solan and Chamba.
Purchased at a total cost of Rs. 18.42 crore, the new fleet includes 35 electric vehicles, 14 interceptor vehicles, 10 wrecker vehicles, and 7 WD diesel vehicles.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said the state government is committed not only to reducing road accidents but also to developing a safe and disaster-resilient transport system. He informed that road accidents in the state have been declining consistently over the past three years, reflecting the success of inter-departmental coordination between the Police, Transport, PWD, HPRIDC, Health and other agencies.
He emphasized that the deployment of wrecker vehicles would help ensure quick removal of damaged vehicles from accident sites, thereby restoring smooth traffic flow and minimizing disruptions.
The Chief Minister also announced that a state-of-the-art Road Safety Control and Command Center will soon be set up in Hamirpur at a cost of about Rs. 30 crore as part of the Integrated Road Safety Enforcement System. The center will be linked to modern surveillance cameras being installed across the state and will facilitate e-challans, real-time traffic monitoring, and road safety enforcement. “This initiative will not only enhance safety but also generate additional revenue for the state,” he added.
Under the Himachal Pradesh State Road Transformation Project, the government is investing around Rs. 60 crore to procure 3,373 road safety enforcement devices for the Police Department, to be distributed across ten districts to further strengthen road discipline and monitoring.
Highlighting police modernization, Sukhu said, “The Police Department is being equipped with advanced technologies to make Himachal Pradesh Police one of the best in the country. Over 1,200 new constables have been recruited, and after eight years, the B-1 test for promotions is being conducted.”
The Chief Minister also announced that a major statewide campaign against drug abuse will soon be launched, underscoring the government’s resolve to make Himachal Pradesh a drug-free state.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
