Thane Launches 'Traffic School on Wheels' and ₹250-Crore Safety Plan
Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced a ₹250-crore state-of-the-art traffic management system and inaugurated a mobile safety education initiative at Gadkari Rangayatan in Thane.
The traffic management initiative, designed around global standards, has been allocated ₹250 crore by the state government and is scheduled for completion in the 2026–27 fiscal year.
Speaking at the launch of the "Traffic School on Wheels" campaign, Sarnaik stressed the need for public participation in road safety, calling adherence to traffic regulations a shared civic responsibility. According to data cited by the minister, pedestrians and two-wheeler riders accounted for approximately 70 percent of road accident deaths nationwide in 2023. In Maharashtra, road fatalities that year included 3,110 pedestrians and nearly 7,782 two-wheeler riders.
To increase awareness, the state government plans to work with the Chief Minister to deploy mobile safety vans across all districts using District Planning Development Committee funds. The state also intends to build "Dharmaveer Anand Dighe Traffic Parks" near every Regional Transport Office.
The newly launched "Traffic School on Wheels" van was developed by the Thane City Police and Traffic Branch with sponsorship from Meyer Pharma. The vehicle is equipped with an onboard media screen and a library of 40 educational short films highlighting road safety rules. Staffed by one officer and four personnel, the mobile unit will visit two schools every day before extending its outreach to large housing complexes across the city.
During the event, MLA Sanjay Kelkar suggested introducing road safety as a mandatory standalone lesson in school textbooks. Joint Commissioner of Police Dr. Dnyaneshwar Chavan urged motorists to follow traffic discipline and avoid overconfidence on the road.
