UPDATE
Great news! The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an advisory to the Chief Secretaries and Director Generals of Police of all state governments and union territories to ensure that the ban on trucks carrying protruding rods is enforced and that strict action should be taken against all vehicles violating it.
The letter mentions state-wise documentation and photographic evidence of trucks carrying protruding rods. Thank you for sending photos of over 1,600 trucks across all states and union territories to SaveLIFE Foundation and to us; this is a collective victory for all of us who want safer roads!
Below is an excerpt from the letter issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
To read the entire letter, click here.
Simultaneously, the State Police of Rajasthan, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have also directed the concerned authorities under their jurisdiction to take appropriate action against these trucks. Excerpts from their letters are below.
From the Superintendent of Udipi district, Karnataka:
From the DGP of Tamil Nadu:
From the Superintendent of Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka:
From the Superintendent of Police, Mumbai:
From the ADG & Inspector, General of Police Traffic, West Bengal:
From the DGP of Rajasthan:
Over 1,40,000 people lose their lives annually to road accidents in India. One law that continues to be routinely violated is the ban put on trucks and other vehicles from carrying protruding rods. In 2013 alone, 9,087 people were killed in the 29,573 road accidents that were caused due to protruding rods and load. On Satyamev Jayate's episode 'Road Accidents or Murders?', Aamir Khan urged viewers to report trucks carrying protruding rods to SaveLIFE Foundation, an organization that works towards improving road safety and emergency medical care across India.
Following this plea, an overwhelming response was witnessed. Till date, pictures of 812 vehicles carrying protruding rods clicked by citizens have been received by SaveLIFE Foundation through WhatsApp, website, email, Facebook and Twitter. SaveLIFE Foundation has taken prompt action on these reports by dispatching the same to the Director General of Police of respective states and also to senior officials in the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. Consequently, the aforementioned officials have directed the concerned authorities under their jurisdiction to take appropriate action against these trucks.
Here is a glimpse of the pictures received by SaveLIFE Foundation from various locations. We urge you to continue sharing such pictures and contribute to increasing road safety in India.