Maharashtra to build 60 traffic gardens named after late Anand Dighe to teach road discipline to children

Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said the gardens would also promote environmental awareness. FILE PIC

In a bid to promote road safety awareness and traffic discipline among children from an early age, the Maharashtra government has proposed setting up 60 ‘traffic gardens' across the state in the name of late Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe. Each garden will be spread over nearly one acre and developed at an estimated cost of Rs 1 crore, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said on Friday.

Sarnaik said at least one traffic garden would be developed in every district with the aim of imparting practical knowledge of traffic rules and road discipline to children. The parks will feature miniature roads, zebra crossings, traffic signals, directional signboards, and small vehicle replicas to help students understand traffic regulations through experiential learning.

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The minister said the facilities would not be limited to schoolchildren and would also remain open to the general public, helping create wider awareness about road safety norms.

"Such an initiative will play a major role in shaping responsible drivers in the future," Sarnaik said.

The proposed traffic gardens will also include trial tracks for driving licence training. Schools will be given time slots to manage crowding, while local self-government bodies will collect nominal entry fees for maintenance and operations.

Sarnaik further said the gardens would also promote environmental awareness. Rare species of trees from across the country would be planted in the parks, along with information boards explaining their ecological importance.

The gardens will also showcase replicas and information related to future electric vehicles, making them centres of learning and recreation for people of all age groups, he added.

The state government believes the initiative will help inculcate traffic discipline from childhood and encourage safer and more responsible road behaviour across Maharashtra.

Maharashtra gets Centre's in-principle nod for driving training institute in Thane

The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has granted in-principle approval for setting up a new Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR) in Maharashtra's Thane district to strengthen driver training infrastructure and promote road safety in the state, news agency PTI reported, quoting officials.

The proposed institute will be the fourth IDTR in Maharashtra after Pune, Nagpur, and Latur.

According to officials, the institute will be established at Bapsai village in Kalyan taluka of Thane district under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.

The facility is expected to offer advanced driver training, research facilities and skill development programmes for operators of both commercial and private vehicles.

As per a communication issued by MoRTH, the total approved cost of the project is Rs 18.42 crore. The Union Government will contribute Rs 17.25 crore, while the remaining Rs 1.17 crore will be borne by the private partner - ‘Bhaskarrao Mahajan Samajik Shaikshanik Va Sanskrutik Sanstha' (Bhaskarrao Mahajan Social, Educational and Cultural Organisation).

A state government official, requesting anonymity, told PTI that Maharashtra had submitted the proposal for establishing the IDTR in Thane district earlier this year.

(With PTI inputs)