Ponnam launches ‘Arrive Alive’ drive

Hyderabad: Telangana transport minister Ponnam Prabhakar addressed concerns related to the RTC while speaking at an event held at the Khairatabad transport department office, where he also launched a poster campaign as part of the "Arrive Alive" road safety initiative.On the issue of RTC, the minister stated that the proposal for merging RTC with the govt is under examination by a committee. He clarified that the govt is open to discussions on demands raised by employees, except for two unresolved issues. He assured that matters concerning staff welfare will be addressed and urged employees not to resort to what he described as "provoked strikes." He noted that pending Dearness Allowance (DA) dues have been cleared and that the govt is considering decisions regarding Pay Revision Commission recommendations.Prabhakar said the programme is designed to analyse causes of road accidents and implement measures to reduce them. Review meetings will be conducted across all districts over six days to assess progress and implementation. The objective is to prevent accidents and minimise loss of life. The minister referred to the ‘Golden Hour' concept, stating that individuals who help accident victims receive timely medical attention within the first hour will be eligible for the "Rahaveer Award." Additionally, RTC employees who have completed 30 years of service without a single accident will be formally recognised, he added.