Latest news with #KaushlendraVikramSingh
Time of India
29-07-2025
- Time of India
Road agencies race against time to cover up city's ‘black spots' from SC safety panel
Bhopal: With the SC Committee on Road Safety scheduled to visit the city on July 31, road construction agencies have accelerated long-pending rectification work at several accident-prone "black spots" in the city. The renewed urgency comes after months of delay, prompting some senior traffic officials to remark that such visits should occur more frequently to ensure timely action. In preparation for the committee's visit, members of the district road safety committee, led by district collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh, conducted an extensive inspection of key black spots and traffic congestion zones across the city on Monday ahead of the visit. A senior traffic officer said that traffic police identified 16 accident-prone "black spots" across the city based on a detailed analysis of road accident data from 2022 to 2024. Traffic police had suggested immediate, short-term, and long-term rectification measures that needed to be taken. Still, either only the immediate or the short-term measures have been implemented at most of the spots, and long-term measures, which include road engineering corrections, are pending. TOI highlighted the issue around a month ago too. According to traffic officials, many of the black spots highlighted this year were flagged in previous years as well. However, only temporary fixes were made at a few locations, while the core safety issues continue to go unaddressed at the sites. No Cameras At Square In Atal Path: City's Deadliest Urban Junction Platinum Plaza Square, or Atal Path Square, was identified as the most dangerous urban black spot in Bhopal, with eight deaths reported in 16 accidents over the last three years. Despite being a high-risk area, only the dysfunctional traffic signals were repaired before the Global Investor Summit. Proposed speed control measures were pending. But, just before the arrival of the committee, a speed breaker strip (plastic) was put up. However, there are still no cameras fitted at the square to monitor over-speeding, and commuters can be seen violating the red light. Khajuri: The Deadliest Zone in 2024 The Indore-Bhopal Highway stretch between Bhainsakhedi village and Phanda Square in Khajuri was declared a black spot this year. There is a blind turn that needs to be rectified. Cops recommended widening the highway, constructing service lanes for local residents, and building underpasses for both vehicles and pedestrians. As of now, only minor steps like road markings and signage installations were carried out at the site here. Traffic officers maintained that the road handles traffic equivalent to an 8-lane highway, but it's narrower than a two-lane road. Nishatpura Black Spots Also Unattended Two major accident-prone areas in the Nishatpura zone—Best Price Trisection and the stretch from a hospital to a Mall—continue to remain unaddressed. Though the construction agency claimed road widening and improvements were sanctioned and would be resolved soon, visible action is awaited. Gyarah Meel: Second Deadliest Black Spot But Most Work Unfinished With seven fatalities in 10 accidents on a 500-metre stretch over the last three years, Gyarah Meel ranks as the second deadliest spot. Traffic police suggested a road divider, speed breakers, and signage to separate the highway and service road—most of which were pending implementation except for some minor measures taken. The area also suffers from rampant wrong-side driving, with drivers using the wrong lane to save fuel, risking lives in the process. There are still multiple cut points in the road divider on Hoshangabad Road, which, according to traffic cops, need to be closed. No Clear Left Turn At Govindpura Turning It has been identified as a black spot for the past eight years. Major rectification measures were taken in 2019. After that, only minor steps were taken. The major issue of clearing the left turn is pending as it needs the widening of the road. The land belongs to BHEL, and permission to increase the width of the road is pending approval. Left turns have not been cleared at stretches of road at Ratnagiri Trisection, 1250 Square and Gurudev Gupt Square in MP Nagar Zone-I as well. 'Long Term Measures At Spots Still Pending' In charge DCP (Traffic) Basant Kaul said that the construction agencies concerned have taken immediate remedial steps at most of the black spots for rectification, and long-term measures are still pending. They will be done as and when approved. The district collector has reportedly reviewed the measures taken. The progress report will be shared with the Supreme Court's Committee on Road Safety during their visit.
Hans India
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
MP: Congress opposes restriction of E-rickshaws in Bhopal
Bhopal: Bhopal District Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh's order banning E-rickshaws in some selected routes in the city sparked a controversy as the opposition Congress called it an "arbitrary" decision, asserting that it would affect the livelihood of hundreds of families. The collector had issued an order banning E-rickshaws in two phases following multiple rounds of discussion with senior administrative officials and Lok Sabha MP Alok Sharma. He issued an order to ban the use of E-rickshaws to ferry school children due to safety reasons on July 19. Two days later, he also ordered to ban the operation of E-rickshaws on some selected routes in the city. The directives issued by the Bhopal district administration came into effect from Monday; however, several E-rickshaws were spotted ferrying school children in several parts of the city till Wednesday. On Wednesday, around 500 E-rickshaw operators gathered at a busy square in the city and staged a protest against the ban on E-rickshaws. However, they accepted a ban on the use of E-rickshaws ferrying school children. Meanwhile, the Congress workers also joined the protest, extending support to E-rickshaw operators. The opposition warned of a major protest if the district administration's order was not withdrawn soon. Senior Congress leader and former minister P. C. Sharma also joined the protest. He said that restricted routes should be opened for E-rickshaws. "Decision to ban use of E-rickshaws to ferry school children is a welcoming step, but banning their operation in the city is arbitrary. This decision would affect the livelihood of hundreds of families in Bhopal," said Sharma. The VIIP routes where the operation of E-rickshaws has been restricted are - Raj Bhavan to Polytechnic Crossing, Polytechnic Crossing to State Hangar, Boat Club area, and Hamidia Road. Similarly, roads connecting from Alpana to Bhopal Talkies, Apex Bank to Roshanpura, and Link Road 1. Further, from Board Office Square to Apex Ban, Katju Hospital Tiraaha to Rangmahal Tiraaha, Vande Mataram to 10 Number Stop,10 Number Stop to National Hospital, 10 Number Market to Roshanpura flyover. A police official deployed at the protest site, talking to IANS, said that it has also been found that untrained and teenage drivers are driving the E-rickshaws and that too at high speed, which makes the vehicle more unsafe, particularly when being used to ferry children. According to Bhopal police, around 12,500 E-rickshaws are currently registered in Bhopal. Though these battery-powered vehicles aren't officially affiliated with schools, many parents are using them to send their wards to school.
New Indian Express
20-07-2025
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
E-rickshaws banned from ferrying school children in Bhopal from Monday
BHOPAL: Use of E-rickshaws to ferry school children has been banned due to safety reasons in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal from Monday. The Bhopal district collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh has ordered the ban of E-rickshaws for transport of school children, considering the vehicle not safe for children. The decision was taken based on the discussions held at the recent meeting for streamlining and ensuring safe road traffic in the MP capital. The meeting chaired on Friday by the Bhopal MP and ex-mayor Alok Sharma and attended among others by the higher ups of the district administration and the police commissionerate, had found battery powered E-rickshaws unsafe for school children. After the meeting, the district collector issued the order, banning the use of E-rickshaws to ferry school children. The order will come into effect from Monday and the school education department with the help of district administration and police will ensure that it's duly followed. According to Bhopal police sources, around 12,500 E-rickshaws are currently registered in Bhopal. Though these battery powered vehicles aren't attached with schools officially, many parents are using them to send their wards to school. 'Fortunately, there hasn't been any accident with school children travelling by E-rickshaw so far, but keeping in mind it's lightweight amid the fast traffic in the city, safety is a big concern for school children going to school by the battery powered vehicle,' a Bhopal police officer told the TNIE. 'In some cases, it has also been found that untrained and teenaged drivers are driving the E-rickshaws and that too at high speed, which makes the vehicle more unsafe, particularly when being used to ferry children,' sources added.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Take action on encroachments at Upper Lake in 3 months: NGT
Bhopal: In an important environmental directive, the Central Zone Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered that identified encroachments in the Bhadbhada region of Bhopal's Upper Lake be addressed within the next three months. According to a press release on Wednesday, during a recent hearing of case, Bhopal municipal corporation informed the NGT that under the AMRUT 1.0 scheme, work has already been undertaken around the lake including laying sewer lines, establishing sewage treatment plants, and providing household connections in the region. Under AMRUT 2.0, further efforts are underway to treat the lake's untreated water. BMC also reported that previously cleared land in the Bhadbhada area has now been secured with fencing and enriched through tree plantation. District collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh and BMC commissioner Harendra Narayan joined the hearing via video conference, while legal representatives of both petitioner and respondent appeared in person. The NGT emphasised its concern over ecological protection and instructed authorities to ensure timely action on remaining encroachments for the long-term health of the Upper Lake ecosystem.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Centre picks Bhopal for beggar-free project under SMILE scheme
Bhopal: An order of district collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh, ahead of Global Investors' Summit (GIS-2025) taking place in the state capital, to enforce 'begging ban' may not have freed Bhopal from the scourge of begging but there is still hope. Bhopal has now been selected by the union ministry of social justice and empowerment under its Support for Marginalised Individuals for Lideligood & Enterprise (SMILE) project to make the city beggar-free. Singh had banned begging under section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Samhita (BNSS) on February 3, 2025. Under the ban, both begging and giving alms to beggars had been banned and declared a crime. Children selling goods on traffic signals and other places had also been banned. A committee headed by joint director, social justice department, RK Singh was also formed to monitor the impact of the ban and initially, there appeared to be some impact with at least begging on roads and busy traffic junctions coming under control but beggars could still be seen particularly outside religious places and markets. A night shelter room in Kolar was converted into 'Bhikshu grah (a place for stay of beggars, where they were provided food and shelter)' but overall, the experiment didn't have the desired impact. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Now, the ministry of social justice and empowerment has stepped in selecting Bhopal district under its project SMILE to make it begging-free. Informing this a spokesperson of the district administration said that experienced and capable NGOs are requested to send their proposals to run the rehabilitation centre being run for the beggars till 5.00 pm on July 15, 2025. The NGOs registered under Society Registration/Firm/Public Trust Act will be eligible to apply. They should not be blacklisted by any department of the government, have 5 years of experience in carrying out rehabilitation job and should have a sound financial condition. They can send their proposal through email, post or personally hand it over in the office of joint director, social justice department in the old secretariat building.
