UP Launches ‘Sadak Suraksha Mitra’ – A Step Towards Safer Roads

Uttar Pradesh has begun a new chapter for road safety programs by launching the ‘Sadak Suraksha Mitra’ initiative. This initiative will encourage its young citizens to play an active role in the road safety initiatives in their state. The Sadak Suraksha Mitra training will train volunteers to provide health care first aid in medical emergencies, assist victims of accidents, identify high accident risk areas, and educate citizens about safe driving behavior and compliance with road rules. Actively engaging citizens as part of the process means that road safety becomes not simply the responsibility of the government, but one of the whole community.

The ‘Sadak Suraksha Mitra’ program runs alongside a larger national mission to target reduced road fatalities and an overall reduction in road accidents. With thousands of lives lost each year due to inattentive or reckless driving, lack of awareness of road rules, or lack of trust in timely emergency response, involving the youth in these types of initiatives clearly plays an important part in building bridges between authorities and the community. UP hopes to see fewer road fatalities, higher responsiveness to medical emergencies, and a culture of responsible driving, by having youth actively involved in their communities.

What is the ‘Sadak Suraksha Mitra’ Program?

The ‘Sadak Suraksha Mitra’ program engages youth in Uttar Pradesh to help communities make roads safer. The program reflects social responsibility by allowing young people to be involved with trained volunteer agents to prevent accidents, aid immediately in an emergency, and advocate the issue of road safety in their communities rather than waiting for an authority to act.

• Active engagement of youth: Participants are youth (ages 18–28) who are young citizens keen on engaging in road safety activities.
• Prevent accidents: The objective of the program is to change unsafe driving habits, as well as decrease unsafe behavior on the road.
• Help while it happens: Volunteers will give first aid and immediate assistance to victims of road traffic injuries when emergency organizations or resources come up short.
• Advocacy and education: Volunteers will help develop educational campaigns to increase awareness surrounding traffic rules and responsible driving.
• Geographic area: Managed in 28 districts, both rural and urban with urban centers like Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra and Gorakhpur.
• Community and civic-based: Helping to establish a longer-term sustainable culture of road safety in the community through active citizenship.

Who Can Become a ‘Sadak Suraksha Mitra’?

• Age: Youth between 18 and 28 years are welcomed to apply.
• Eligibility: Applicants should not have outstanding traffic violations; you can quickly check e challan status online before applying
• Training programs include:

• General volunteers receive week-long training, including first aid skills.
• Civil engineering graduates receive 15 days of intense training on an experience with road safety audits, black spot identification, and awareness.
• A certificate of recognition will be provided to volunteers with exemplary work, and in exceptional circumstances, they may be given a Good Samaritan award.

How Will It Work?

The ‘Sadak Suraksha Mitra’ program has a well-defined structure to enable its effectiveness and accountability.

Each district will have a District Road Safety Committee (DRSC) that will be selecting, training, and overseeing the volunteers. The committee will instruct the volunteers on their duties and the tools/applications and resources available for them to help them effect certain changes.

Once trained, the volunteers will:

• Help accident victims – help administer first aid and assist in emergency situations, effectively improving response time during the critical hour.
• Locate accident-prone areas – undertake surveys on dangerous road stretches, helping activate appropriate authorities to take corrective actions.
• Awareness – organize community-sourced workshops, campaigns, and events to help inform the public about the traffic rules that govern our roads and safe driving practices.
• Help authorities – Work  with local administration to implement measures such as signages, speed controls, road improvements, etc.

Regular activities will be monitored electronically through the MYBharat platform, evaluating quantities, outcomes, etc., and based on these products, commendations for outstanding contributions will be given. This will enable transparency and ensure the program is organized, efficient, and outcome-focused.

Know More: Inside Ghaziabad’s Traffic Control Room: How Your E-Challan is Generated

Why This Initiative Matters

• Empowers Youth: Assign young people the power to take ownership in addressing safety in their communities.
• Decreased Fatalities: First aid during the golden hour may increase chances of saving lives.
• Increase Safe Roadway Usage: Identifying and remediating black spots or road problems should decrease accidents.
• Creates Awareness: Peer-to-peer campaigns within communities hit more positively.

How to apply for Sadak Suraksha Mitra in Uttar Pradesh

• Step 1: Access the MYBharat site (online portal on computer).
• Step 2: Register yourself with the platform and provide personal details, age proof (18–28 years), and contact details to become a volunteer.
• Step 3: Provide a declaration stating that you do not have any traffic violation case pending. ( You can always check challan online before applying.) 
• Step 4: Wait for selection by the District Road Safety Committee (DRSC).
• Step 5: Undertake mandatory training (7 days for general volunteers and 15 days for civil engineering graduates).
• Step 6: Provide as a certified Sadak Suraksha Mitra in your district.

Check: UP’s New Smart RC Card: What Vehicle Owners Must Know

Conclusion

The ‘Sadak Suraksha Mitra’ is initiated in the State of Uttar Pradesh not only as a government initiative but also as a call to action to each citizen to take responsible action in terms of road safety. The potential of this program, which will harness the power of trained volunteers to be working throughout the state, could have a positive impact in reducing accidents and making the roads in Uttar Pradesh safer for all.