CHENNAI : Rallies, distribution of pamphlets on road safety, free health camp for Metropolitan Transport Corporation employees and distribution of sweets to traffic police marked the inauguration of road safety week celebrations in the city on Monday.

The day's events began with a rally by the Transport Department. Transport Minister K. N. Nehru flagged off the rally from the Munroe statue.

Students from various city colleges carrying placards on road safety, employees of two-wheeler dealers besides the Transport department personnel participated in the rally. The procession culminated near the State Guest House on Wallajah Road, where pamphlets were distributed to the motorists.

Transport department authorities said every year the department was conducting awareness programmes within the jurisdiction of the respective Regional Transport Offices. But this year they had organised a rally, they said.

Along with the rally came an MTC bus re-modelled to serve as a mobile exhibition on road safety issues. On their part MTC authorities organised a free health check up camp for their employees and their family members. Specialists from various disciplines diagnosed the employees at Anna Nagar depot. A large number of employees and their family members participated in the camp.

While the issue of `road safety' came to the forefront for the official agencies, the functional arm of the agencies remained inactive, as was witnessed on roads.

For example, Anna Salai, the city's main artery carrying the biggest traffic load, remains without any road markers.

In the early 1990s, a four-laning system was introduced on the Anna Salai stretch from Thousand Lights up to the Anna statue with clearly demarcated lanes for two-wheelers, buses and four-wheelers. Now, this rule despite changes in detail over the years, remains dysfunctional - including for the reason there is no clearly defined lane markings.

Around 10.30 a.m. a bus near the Arts College junction tried to jump a lane but came to a halt only after a traffic police constable stopped the vehicle. Similarly, another vehicle (15-B operated between CMBT and Broadway) whizzed past the signal at the Wallajah Road junction and entered Anna Salai even when the signal was red for those vehicles intending to enter Anna Salai from Wallajah Road.

Transport department officials say they need more personnel for enforcing rules including those governing licensing and registration. They also need to work in co-ordination with the Chennai Metropolitan Traffic Police for the latter has the power to initiate action against violators by marking the violations in their licences.

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