Discrepancy in data on road accidents by minors provided by Union govt in Rajya Sabha: Report
New Delhi: A discrepancy has emerged between the road accident data provided by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the figures reported by the Tamil Nadu state government regarding accidents caused by minors.
The data presented by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in a written response in the Rajya Sabha on March 19 claimed that Tamil Nadu, based on the Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD) system, recorded the highest number of road accidents involving minors from 2023 to 2024, with 2,063 cases, as reported by The Hindu.
However, the Tamil Nadu police, upon verifying the figures from the iRAD system, found that only 473 accidents caused by minors were recorded in Tamil Nadu during the same period. These included 204 accidents in 2023 and 269 in 2024.
A senior official from the Traffic and Road Safety wing of the State Director General of Police questioned the accuracy of the Union government's data, remarking, "Where is 200 and where is 2,000? Clearly, there is an error here."
State data showed that the total number of challans issued to guardians and parents of juveniles stood at 41 in 2023 and 80 in 2024. However, Bihar topped the country in this regard, issuing 1,316 challans and collecting a revenue of Rs 44.27 lakh.
The iRAD system receives data through the State Crime Record Bureau (SCRB), which is part of the Tamil Nadu Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), The Hindu report stated while quoting the official.
Furthermore, the official noted a 17% decrease in fatal road accidents in Tamil Nadu during the first two months of 2025. The state recorded 2,576 fatal accidents resulting in 2,678 deaths in January and February 2025, a drop from the 3,110 fatal accidents and 3,253 deaths in the same period in 2024, the report added.
A senior official from the Transport and Road Safety Commissionerate also highlighted that Tamil Nadu was the only state in India with a policy to suspend driving licenses for not wearing wear helmets and seat belts. This policy is in addition to the six traffic violations listed by the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety that could lead to a driving license suspension: over speeding, overloading, drunk driving, mobile phone usage while driving, jumping red lights, and overloading passengers in goods carriages.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Govt to set up Bureau of Port Security to boost port, vessel security
New Delhi (PTI): To beef up the security infrastructure of ports, the government will set up a statutory body -- the Bureau of Port Security -- that will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information of ports and vessels, officials said on Friday.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday convened a meeting for the constitution of the dedicated body, the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS), which was attended by the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, and the Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu, an official statement said.
Emphasising that there is a need to establish a country-wide robust port security framework, Shah directed that security measures should be implemented in a graded and risk-based manner, taking into account vulnerabilities, trade potential, location, and other relevant parameters.
ALSO READ: Four arrested in cattle theft case after encounter in UP's Kaushambi
The meeting also noted that lessons learned from the maritime security framework shall be replicated in the aviation security domain, the statement said.
The new body, modelled on the lines of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), will be constituted as a statutory body under the new Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, and will work under the aegis of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), it said.
Headed by a senior IPS officer as its director general, the BoPS will be responsible for regulatory and oversight functions relating to the security of ships and port facilities.
"During the transition period of one year, the director general of shipping shall function as the director general of BoPS," the statement said.
"The BoPS will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information, with a special focus on cybersecurity, including a dedicated division to safeguard port IT infrastructure from digital threats," it said.
The government has designated the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) as a recognised security organisation (RSO), responsible for undertaking security assessments and preparation of security plans for port facilities.
The Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) will train and build the capacities of private security agencies (PSAs) engaged in port security.
"These agencies shall be certified and appropriate regulatory measures shall be introduced to ensure that only the licensed PSAs operate in this sector," the statement said.
