- Punjab has become the first Indian state to comprehensively map all 784 accident-prone areas as ‘black spots’ on the navigation system Mappls app. The announcement was made by Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on January 1, 2024.
- Navigation system Mappls App developed by MapMyIndia.
- This initiative has been launched as part of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s flagship project, ‘Road Safety Force’.
How will the Mappls app work
- The app provides voice alerts in Punjabi, warning passengers about upcoming black spots.
- Passengers will get this alert even before the black spot is 100 meters away.
- It aims to enhance road safety by alerting drivers in advance by using the Mappls App, a 100% indigenous app designed for Indian roads.
Punjab Road Safety Force
- ‘Road Safety Force’ is a collaborative effort between Punjab Police and MapmyIndia.
- This force has been entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring reckless driving, ensuring smooth movement of vehicles on the roads and other tasks.
- 1,300 policemen will be recruited in the first phase.
- Initially 144 vehicles were launched for the force, of which 116 are Isuzu vehicles and 28 are SUVs equipped with speed radar.
- Each vehicle included in the road safety force will cover an area of 30 kilometres.
Global State of Road Safety 2023
- Recently, the World Health Organization released a report titled Global State of Road Safety 2023. The report presents important findings and insights into road traffic deaths and safety measures around the world.