The Regional Transport Office (RTO), Thane Motor Vehicle Department, launched a cricket tournament as part of the Road Safety Campaign at the Dadoji Konddev Sports Auditorium. The event was inaugurated by Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, who lit the ceremonial lamp to kick off the competition.

During the inauguration, Minister Sarnaik emphasized that obeying traffic rules is a collective responsibility that involves every citizen. "We must all follow traffic rules to ensure our safety and the safety of others," he said. He further expressed his concerns about the accident rates, stressing that efforts must be made to understand why accidents are fewer in countries abroad, where measures such as reflectors and informative notice boards are in place to guide drivers effectively.

The event was attended by several dignitaries, including Additional Transport Commissioner Mumbai, Bharat Kalaskar, District Surgeon Kailash Pawar, Assistant Commissioner Shailesh Kamat, Regional Transport Officer Jayant Patil, and others. Minister Sarnaik welcomed and congratulated everyone on the occasion, underlining the importance of road safety and traffic discipline.

In addition to the inauguration, two informative booklets were released by Minister Sarnaik, containing details on road safety measures.

Regional Transport Officer Hemangini Patil provided a comprehensive overview of the road safety program and state-level sports competition organized for government officials and employees. Additional Transport Commissioner Bharat Kalaskar stressed the importance of road safety, especially with the rising number of vehicles. He urged drivers to avoid distractions like mobile phones, wear seat belts, and always wear helmets when riding two-wheelers.

The event aims to raise awareness about road safety while engaging government employees through sports, reinforcing the message that safety on the roads is everyone's shared responsibility.

Key Highlights:

• Annual Event: Minister Sarnaik mentioned that the road safety sports program is a yearly event held in January, and this year, the state-level sports competition was inaugurated in Thane district.
• Improvement in Traffic Norms: The Minister highlighted plans for improving traffic norms and infrastructure, including the possibility of new vehicle registrations only if there is an available parking system. He called for approval from the Municipal Corporation for parking on a rental basis to allow new vehicle registrations.
• Accident Prevention Efforts: Sarnaik promised that efforts would be made to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities, urging everyone to be more mindful of road safety.