Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday interacted with school students during a road safety awareness programme organised by Kolkata Police.
Banerjee stopped her car near Alipore Zoological Gardens, where students of United Missionary Girls’ High School were engaged in cultural performances as part of the ‘Safe Drive Save Life’ campaign. Banerjee watched the performance, spoke to students and teachers and exchanged pleasantries. She is also learnt to have requested for a recording of the performance from the teachers.
The occasion marked the concluding day of the weeklong ‘Safe Drive Save Life’ programme observed by Kolkata Police and the state police.
The road safety initiative, launched by Banerjee in July 2016, has contributed to a reduction in road accidents and fatalities across Bengal. According to data from the Transport department, the number of accidents in the state dropped from 17,555 in 2015 to 13,795 in 2023, while fatalities decreased from 6,656 to 6,027 during the same period.
Kolkata continues to record one of the lowest figures among major Indian metros in terms of road accidents and related fatalities. While Delhi reported 5,652 accidents and 1,461 deaths in 2023, Kolkata recorded 1,942 accidents and 191 deaths.
“We are constantly working on further reducing accidents,” an official said.