Walkathon to promote road safety organised

Vijayawada: Ina bid to create awareness against drunken driving and overspeeding ahead of the New Year 2026, Vijayawada Traffic Police, in association with Companionship members, organised a 2K Walkathon from Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation Stadium to Benz Circle in the city on Tuesday. The walkathon was inaugurated by NTR District Police Commissioner SV Rajashekhar Babu.

Traffic DCP Shireen Begum, traffic ACPs, inspectors, Companionship members, college students, and others participated in the programme, raising slogans like “No Drunk Driving, No Speeding – Life is Precious.”

Speaking on the occasion, the Police Commissioner said that while bidding farewell to 2025 and stepping into 2026, it was important to reflect on the efforts made to improve road safety. He lauded the NTR district police, especially the traffic wing, for their committed efforts in reducing road accident fatalities.

He revealed that road accident deaths came down from 454 in 2024 to 366 in 2025, saving nearly 88 lives. “Saving 88 lives means safeguarding the futures of 88 families,” he said, congratulating Traffic DCP Shireen Begum and her team.

He attributed the reduction in fatalities largely to increased awareness of helmet usage, noting that 70 to 80 percent of two-wheeler riders are now wearing helmets. He emphasised that road safety should be treated as a people’s movement and urged citizens to follow traffic rules with self-discipline.