Chandigarh
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Regional Office, Chandigarh in association with Lead Agency and PwD, Govt. Of Punjab successfully organised a State-Level Workshop on the Safe System Approach and Road Engineering Practices today at Chandigarh, bringing together senior policymakers, technical experts, engineers, planners and key stakeholders engaged in improving road safety outcomes across the region.
The workshop was convened with the objective of strengthening road safety through the adoption of a Safe System Approach; a globally recognised philosophy that places human vulnerability and error at the centre of road design and management to ensure that inevitable mistakes do not lead to fatalities or serious injuries.
This approach emphasises creating a forgiving and resilient road environment through safer infrastructure, evidence-based interventions and multidisciplinary collaboration, rather than holding individual road users solely responsible for crashes.
The event was graced by Shri Harbhajan Singh, ETO, PWD Minister, Punjab. His presence underscored the alignment of central and state efforts towards enhancing highway safety and engineering excellence.
The workshop commenced with a welcome address by Sh. Rakesh Kumar, Regional Officer, NHAI, RO, Chandigarh, who highlighted the critical need for adopting a comprehensive, engineering-led strategy to address road safety challenges. He emphasised that emerging trends in highway design must prioritise human safety, integrate scientific planning and promote inter-agency coordination to reduce crashes and fatalities.
The workshop was also addressed by senior dignitaries including Ms. Praneet Shergill, IAS, State Transport Commissioner and Director General, Lead Agency for Road Safety, Punjab; Ms. Hargunjit Kaur, IAS, Special Secretary, PWD, Government of Punjab; and Shri A.S. Rai, IPS, Special Director General of Police (Traffic), Punjab. In their addresses, the dignitaries emphasised the importance of adopting the Safe System Approach through strong institutional coordination, data-driven decision-making and the integration of engineering, enforcement and policy measures. They reiterated the Government of Punjab’s commitment to strengthening road engineering practices, traffic management and enforcement mechanisms to achieve sustained reductions in road fatalities and serious injuries.
The technical sessions featured presentations and deliberations by distinguished experts; Shri Sudershan K. Popli, Advisor (Road Safety), NHAI Headquarters, delivered a detailed presentation on the Safe Engineering Design of Highways, outlining how forgiving road infrastructure and proactive safety planning can significantly reduce crash severity.
Shri Swatantra Kumar, Road Safety Expert and Member, Indian Roads Congress (IRC), spoke on Road Safety through Innovative Reflective Solutions, focusing on enhanced signage, high-visibility road markings and road furniture that improve driver awareness and guidance.
Prof. Geetam Tiwari, IIT Delhi, delivered an insightful session titled Road to Traffic Safety 2030, where she outlined long-term strategies and policy interventions for sustainable improvements in road safety, advocating a systematic integration of planning, enforcement and infrastructure solutions.
Shri Rahul Prakash Singh, Senior Manager, SaveLIFE Foundation, presented on Zero Fatality Corridor Engineering Interventions for Safer Highways, sharing practical case studies and proven safety measures. The concept of Zero Fatality Corridors aims to dramatically reduce road crash deaths by implementing a combination of engineering, enforcement, emergency care and engagement- an evidence-based model that has shown significant impact in reducing fatalities on high-risk roads.
Participants included senior officials from NHAI, representatives from various State Government departments, traffic and highway engineers, planning experts and other key stakeholders involved in road infrastructure and safety.
The workshop served as a valuable platform for knowledge sharing, technical deliberation and strengthening inter-agency collaboration, reaffirming NHAI’s commitment to scientific, sustainable and people-centric road engineering practices aligned with national and global road safety goals.
Through initiatives like this workshop, NHAI continues to lead efforts to reshape India’s road network into one that is safer, more resilient, and equipped to address the complexities of modern mobility.
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