LUCKNOW: Road safety is an eternal and ever growing concern, for governments, individuals and society at large. A report published by the Ministry of Transport and Highways, Government of India revealed that out of 55 accidents per hour in the country, 17 resulted in deaths. Although there has been a slight decrease in the number of road accidents over the years, the proportion of deaths has increased.
Increasing mobility, stress and tensions, coupled with rapid advancements in transport technology; the number of vehicles on roads and the lack of vigilance are contributing towards this increased potency of fatal accidents. Data from across the world suggests that distracted driving is the most common cause of road accidents, especially among younger drivers. Additionally, there has been a sharp increase in number of deaths caused due to sleeping or lethargy while driving, caused by under-rest, poor work life balance and high levels of stress.
With a generation that is always on the move, road safety has not only become more important, but also, its rules have become more dynamic. Thus, road safety is an issue that will always be relevant. In this regard, Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow’s Manfest-Varchasva, in collaboration with Nesplus and UPSRTC hosted the 10th edition of its Lucknow City Run, with the theme ‘Road Safety’.
The run took place in front of Lohia Park in Gomti Nagar and required men to cover a distance of 10 km and women to cover a distance of 5 km. Team Manfest-Varchasva also came up with the second edition of its 5 km Run for Fun which was open for all. There was also a children’s segment of the 5 km run which saw children of all age groups participating enthusiastically.
The run was flagged off by the S.P of Traffic, Uttar Pradesh. The chief guest of the event, UPSRTC’s Chief General Manager, Jaydeep Verma felicitated the winners. UP32 Bulleteers – an enthusiastic group of Royal Enfield riders based in Lucknow also joined the event and helped in creating awareness about Road Safety. Mr. Atul Mishra, from the aforementioned group educated people about the dangers of laxity on road and explained how and why Road Safety is serious business.
Khushbu Gupta stood 1st among the Women and Shravan Kumar stood 1st among the Men Category. The winners were awarded prizes worth INR 1 Lakh, mementos, certificates and t-shirts. A certificate of participation and t-shirts were awarded upon successful completion of the race.
With this small effort, the IIM Lucknow student fraternity has taken a step in the right direction, in contributing to a larger cause. More such issues will be taken up spoken about in their upcoming annual business, cultural and sports festival, Manfest-Varchasva, scheduled to happen between 16th-18th November. Watch out this space for more updates on MV2018.
