Why in News?

Mobile app of iRAD Developed for accident database management system that will help in analysing causes of road crashes and in devising safety interventions to reduce such accidents in the country.

Two days Orientation and Training programme on iRAD App was conducted by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.

iRAD App

• IT based system for capturing the spot accident data using mobile app configured for this purpose.
• This data can then be utilized for various purposes like finding the causes of the accidents and remedial measures to improve the road infrastructure, to record the accidents data for the use of police, health services and other concerned departments.
• Ministry of Road Transport & Highways is in the process of implementing ‘Integrated Road Accident Database Project (iRAD)’ which will be applicable across the country.
• In the first instance, it has been decided to implement the proposal in six States, viz. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
• The development and implementation of iRAD has been entrusted to lIT Madras and National Informatics Centre Services Inc.
• It will enable the stakeholders such as the Police, Transport, Health, etc to use their mobile phones to collect accident data on the spot.
• How it Work ?
  • Application will enable police personnel to enter details about a road accident, along with photos and videos, following which a unique ID will be created for the incident.
  • An engineer from the Public Works Department or the local body will receive an alert on his mobile device.
    • He or she will then visit the accident site, examine it, and feed the required details, such as the road design.
    • Data thus collected will be analysed by a team at IIT-M, which will then suggest if corrective measures in road design need to be taken.

Need for such initiatives

• India accounts for about 5 lakh road accidents per annum in which about 1.5 lakh people die and another 3 lakh become injured.
• Government is in the process of implementing Integrated Road Accident Database Project (iRAD) across the country, and the related app will enable collection of accident data on the spot.
• The project costs Rs. 258 crore and is being supported by the World Bank.

Source : PIB

Topic

Prelims : About iRAD App

GS II : Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential.

Current Affairs Compilation : 14 September 2020