IIT-M to help Rajasthan with data-driven road safety plan

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Rajasthan government and IIT(M) seeks to enhance road safety measures, increase capacity and capability across the board in the government to both increase the survivability of road accident victims and reduce the occurrence rate in the state.

Other outcomes targeted include building capability of the core road safety team in Rajasthan, help build strategies and implementation work packages for all stakeholder departments to realise safe roads in the state, develop a roadmap towards reaching the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of 50 per cent reduction in road fatalities by 2030 and eventually to zero deaths from road traffic accidents and help build a data-driven trauma care with institutional registry developed by IIT Madras.

Professor Ravindra Gettu, Dean (Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research), IIT Madras, said, “This MoU will foster a collaborative partnership wherein IITM will be building the capability of various stakeholders in Government of Rajasthan and help them design and implement a successful road safety program.” “This collaboration will involve various stakeholder Departments in Govt. of Rajasthan involved in road safety including Public Works Department (PWD), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), police, health and medical services, among other agencies,” the dean added.

Prof. Venkatesh Balasubramanian, Faculty In-Charge, Rehabilitation Bioengineering Group (RBG) Labs, Department of Engineering Design, IIT Madras, who is coordinating this initiative, said: “Roads are shared asset and the safety on them is a collective responsibility of all the stakeholders. However, without having an overt and specific responsibility, it can be easily lost between the gaps".