Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Wednesday reviewed the implementation of road safety measures in Jammu and Kashmir, as mandated by the Supreme Court, and underscored the need for extensive use of GIS-based data to identify vulnerable and accident-prone road stretches across districts.

Chairing a high-level meeting, the Chief Secretary said that data-driven identification of black spots would enable focused technological, engineering and enforcement interventions, significantly reducing road accidents in the Union Territory. He directed the concerned departments to prepare a clear, time-bound roadmap for the implementation of each Supreme Court directive on road safety.

The meeting was attended by administrative secretaries of concerned departments, senior Traffic Police officers and heads of departments, while Deputy Commissioners participated through video conferencing from their respective districts.

Dulloo emphasised leveraging transport and traffic data to guide targeted safety measures, strategic deployment of traffic police and engineering corrections on stretches prone to frequent accidents. Stressing deterrence as a critical component of road safety, he directed strict punitive action against habitual and serious traffic violators, including cancellation of driving licences, registration certificates and other statutory measures.

The Chief Secretary also reviewed the road accident scenario in J&K using data from the i-RAD portal, analysing trends based on time of day, monthly patterns, district-wise distribution, road classification and nature of violations leading to accidents.

Road construction agencies, including PWD, NHAI, NHIDCL, BRO and SAMPARK, briefed the meeting on steps taken to remove identified black spots in line with the Black Spot Protocol. Measures related to traffic calming, installation of safety signage and fitting of speed-limiting devices in school buses were also reviewed to enhance student safety.

Secretary, Transport Department, Avny Lavasa, presented details on the functioning of the i-RAD and e-DAR portals, informing that since June 2022, a total of 20,135 road accidents involving 32,819 persons have been reported in J&K, resulting in 3,688 fatalities and 29,131 injuries. She said most accidents occurred on major highways, particularly in Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur and Rajouri districts, with peak timings between 3 pm and 9 pm. Rash driving and over-speeding accounted for nearly 50 per cent of accidents reported in 2025.

The Transport Department also shared enforcement data, stating that over 92,000 challans were issued in 2024 and 2025, with fines amounting to more than Rs 26 crore. Major violations included non-wearing of helmets and seat belts, mobile phone use while driving, over-speeding and jumping red lights.

IGP Traffic M. Suleman briefed the meeting on surveillance systems under the Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS) and Intelligent Light Traffic System (ILTS) in Jammu and Srinagar. He said the Traffic Police enforced nearly 45 lakh e-challans between 2023 and 2025, imposing fines exceeding Rs 350 crore, while seizing thousands of vehicles for violations of the Motor Vehicles Act.

The meeting also reviewed the implementation of the Road Accident Victim Fund, establishment of trauma care facilities along highways, and the functioning of the Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR) at Kot Bhalwal and the Inspection and Certification Centre (ICC) at Samba. The performance of the District Infrastructure Quality Control mechanism in conducting road safety audits was also assessed.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to road safety, the Chief Secretary said coordinated enforcement, engineering solutions, public awareness and strict adherence to judicial and statutory norms are essential to save precious lives in Jammu and Kashmir.

 Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday chaired a meeting of the Council of Ministers here in the run-up to the upcoming budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, scheduled to begin on February 2 with the address of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

According to a post by the Chief Minister’s Office on X, the cabinet meeting was held at the Civil Secretariat in Jammu to deliberate on key matters of public and administrative importance. As per procedure, all decisions taken during the meeting will come into effect after receiving the approval of the Lieutenant Governor.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary and cabinet ministers, including Sakina Itoo, Javed Ahmed Rana, Javid Ahmed Dar and Satish Sharma. Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo was also present, officials said.

Although no detailed official statement was issued following the meeting, officials indicated that discussions included the Lieutenant Governor’s address to the Legislative Assembly at the commencement of the budget session, as well as proposed welfare measures to be incorporated in the annual budget.

Chief Minister Abdullah, who also holds the finance portfolio, is set to present the second budget of his government during the forthcoming session of the Assembly.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday emphasised fiscal discipline and directed all departments to submit well-structured, need-based proposals aligned with the government’s development roadmap ahead of the upcoming budget session of the J&K Legislative Assembly.

For the second consecutive day, the chief minister held pre-budget consultations with several key departments to review priorities, sectoral requirements and development imperatives. The budget session of the Assembly is scheduled to begin on February 2.

Abdullah, who also holds the finance portfolio, chaired detailed meetings with the departments of Social Welfare, Health and Medical Education, School Education, Higher Education, Public Works (Roads and Buildings), Mining, Industries and Commerce, and Labour.

Addressing the meetings, the chief minister underscored the importance of realistic and outcome-oriented budgeting. He stressed that proposals must be grounded in actual needs, ensure optimal use of public funds and adhere to fiscal prudence.

“The budget should reflect the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and focus on inclusive growth, balanced regional development and sustainable economic progress,” Abdullah said, while also calling for transparency, timely project completion and efficient service delivery.

During the deliberations, the chief minister reviewed the progress of ongoing projects, budget utilisation patterns and future financial requirements across sectors. He directed departments to adopt a people-centric and performance-driven approach, with particular emphasis on strengthening healthcare and education infrastructure, expanding social security coverage, improving road connectivity, promoting industrial growth and generating employment opportunities for youth.

The pre-budget consultation process began on Tuesday with nine departments and is scheduled to conclude on Thursday with meetings involving the remaining departments. An official spokesperson said the exercise is aimed at finalising a comprehensive, growth-oriented and people-friendly budget for the Union Territory.

Security has been tightened across Srinagar ahead of Republic Day celebrations, with police stepping up surveillance and deployment to ensure smooth and incident-free observances, officials said on Wednesday.

In view of the national event, Srinagar Police have intensified security and inspection measures across the city. Additional police personnel have been deployed at key locations, while special checkpoints and mobile patrols have been put in place to conduct thorough verification of vehicles and individuals.

Officials said night patrolling and surprise inspections are being carried out to maintain heightened vigilance and prevent any attempt to disturb public order. Sensitive areas have been placed under enhanced watch, with a focus on tracking suspicious movements.

Senior police officers are closely monitoring the security arrangements on the ground to ensure effective coordination and seamless implementation of the plan, officials added.

The police have appealed to the public to cooperate during checking and verification drives and urged citizens to immediately report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station or the Police Control Room.