Automation, digitization way forward towards better management of transport sector: CS

Jammu, Jan 18: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo Thursday chaired a meeting to review the working of Transport Department along with its allied activities of traffic here in the UT.
The meeting was attended by Secretary, Transport; IG Traffic; DIG, Traffic, Jammu; MD, JKRTC; besides other concerned officers of the Department.
While speaking in this meeting the Chief Secretary impressed upon the officers that the technological interventions and digital services are pivotal for ensuring hassle free, time-bound and flawless working of the transport department here. He observed that the modern technology has made many strides in this field and there is still scope for making the functioning of this department seamless by invoking such advancements.
Dulloo further declared that in order to obtain the flawless results in issuance of driving licences and fitness to vehicles the technology can play a very indiscriminate role. He maintained that the department has an added responsibility of ensuring smooth plying of traffic on the roads which can evenly be taken care of by the intervention of artificial intelligence and other smart solutions.
He emphasized upon the optimum use of such measures as adopted in other regions of the nation for making the transport sector vibrant and progressive. He called for bolstering the technology with strict enforcement of rules and legislations for obtaining the best results on ground. He also advised for efficient use of road infrastructure and manpower for reducing occurrence of mishaps thereby saving lives lost due to road accidents.
The Chief Secretary was informed by the Secretary Transport, Niraj Kumar that the department has made much advancements in offering services to public facelessly. He apprised him that services related to both driving and vehicle operations here have been made online with offering around 53 digital services by the Motor Vehicles Department.
He further gave out that the Department has switched over almost completely to online/auto approval mode in providing the services to the general public to reduce the footfall in the office of the RTOs/ARTOs across the UT to encourage paperless, cashless & faceless transactions here.
As far as the working of J&K Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) is concerned it was explained that the implementation of Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS) portal (www.starbus.jk.gov.in) was launched to streamline plying of its bus fleet and it’s availability for public.
It was given out that the portal offers seven modules viz. Online Ticketing Facility/Management, Web-based Current/Counter Booking Management, Route Schedule Management, Employees Database Management, Real Time Fuel Pump Management System, Real Time Management Information System (MIS) and Public Information System (PIS).
For the convenience of the travellers a Mobile App has also been developed for both Android as well as IOS, wherein tickets can be booked from any comfort zone of the traveller. The process of hosting the app on google Play-store and Apple Store has also been initiated by NIC which shall be completed shortly.
Regarding the Road Accident Victim Fund it was given out that its objective is to provide immediate succour to the dependents/kith and kins/legal heirs of the persons killed/injured in road accidents. Relief amount to the tune of Rs 1,00,000 in case of death, Rs 75,000 in case of permanent disability, Rs 50,000 in case of grievous injuries and Rs 10,000 in case of minor injury to the next of kin or the victims themselves as the case may be.
While throwing light on the future roadmap of the department it was said that the operationalization of Institute for Driver Training and Research (IDTR) at Samba, setting up of Regional Driving Training Centres (RDTCs), establishment of Automated Testing Stations(ATS), customization of IRAD in a way that enables first responders in an accident to send alerts to all the departments parallelly.
The department also aspires for launching eDAR for collection of road accident data for efficient processing of claims for accident victims and thereby reducing the time taken in settlement of claims for road accidents cases.
It also delineated that it is looking into going for auto approvals as per the guidelines of the PSGA, scrapping redundancy for better quality interfaces in issuance of Drivers’ licenses/Registration Certificates by making the process paperless as in Assam and Andhra Pradesh for ease of doing business.
It also looks for promotion of electric vehicle policy for J&K besides use AI for ensuring road safety by introduction of Project iRASTE (Intelligent Solutions for Road Safety through Technology and Engineering) in the UT, as was given out in the meeting.