HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Jan 15: The observance of Indian Army Day at Masimpur Military Station on Thursday marked the launch of a major public outreach initiative on road safety, as Silchar Lok Sabha MP Parimal Suklabaidya flagged off a Mega Road Safety Awareness Bike Rally titled “Pather Barta Pathe Yatra”.
The programme coincided with National Road Safety Month 2026 and followed the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry’s call for MPs to spearhead road safety campaigns in their constituencies.
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Indian Army Day, observed annually on January 15, commemorates the courage, discipline and sacrifices of the armed forces.
During the event, Suklabaidya paid tribute to Army personnel at Masimpur Military Station by felicitating them with traditional phulam gamochas, conveying public gratitude for their service to the nation.
Addressing the gathering, the MP said the values upheld by the Indian Army—discipline, alertness and responsibility—must also guide civilian conduct, particularly on public roads.
He stressed that while the Army protects the nation’s borders, irresponsible road behaviour continues to claim thousands of preventable lives each year.
Following the tribute, Suklabaidya formally launched the month-long road safety campaign, which will cover the entire Silchar Lok Sabha constituency.
In a rare initiative, the MP himself is participating in the bike rally across all 162 Gaon Panchayats under the constituency, an effort described as unprecedented for a sitting Member of Parliament.
At 68, his active involvement in the physically demanding campaign drew attention as a strong personal commitment to the cause.
Highlighting the scale of the problem, Suklabaidya said road accidents claim over 1.7 lakh lives annually in India, mostly among people aged 18 to 45, and result in economic losses estimated at nearly three per cent of the GDP.
Describing road accidents as a “silent pandemic”, he called for transforming awareness into sustained responsible behaviour.
He said the campaign aims to turn road safety into a people’s movement by reaching all 162 Gaon Panchayats, three municipal areas and the Silchar Municipal Corporation.
Planned activities include engagement with schools, colleges, government offices and local communities, along with awareness on first response during accidents, life-saving skills and provisions of the Good Samaritan Law.
The initiative builds on the earlier “Path Suraksha Jan Andolan” conducted across Assam during 2023–24.
The MP also announced that the campaign would conclude with a detailed analytical report identifying accident-prone stretches and recommending zero-fatality interventions, to be submitted to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
He reiterated that wearing helmets, using seat belts and following traffic rules are acts of social and national responsibility.
On the inaugural day, the rally passed through several areas, including Kumarpara Nizjoynagar, Ranighat Bridge at Krishnapur Bairab Nagar, Tarapur, Ambicapur and Badarpur Masimpur Gaon Panchayats, besides key locations in Silchar town such as Sadarghat, the railway station, National Highway Bazar, Ashram Road and Rangirkhari Sanjay Market, drawing wide public attention.
