UP: CM asks officials to ensure social welfare, road safety arrangements amid cold weather

LUcknow, Uttar Pradesh Chief government minister Yogi Adityanath issued a serial of directives to senior administrative officials on wed to ensure societal welfare and road-safety arrangements amid heavy fog and cold wave-like conditions across the state.The directives follow scenes of homeless people grappling with cold weather and a series of fog-related road accidents across the state on Tuesday that claimed 25 lives and left 59 people injured. The worst tragedy occurred on the Yamuna Expressway in Mathura, where a multi-vehicle pile-up in dense fog turned into an inferno, killing at least 13 people.According to an official statement, the chief minister has instructed divisional commissioners, inspectors general of police, district magistrates, police and traffic authorities to stay on "high alert" during periods of smoggy conditions and ensure proper road-safety arrangements.He has emphasised the need for continuous checks on street lights and ordered the immediate repair of any faulty lighting to prevent accidents.The CM directed authorities to hold meetings with NHAI and state highway officials to streamline arrangements. He asked for increased patrolling on expressways, deployment of teams at every black spot and taking appropriate corrective measures, including the installation of reflectors on highways and roads.The chief minister also ordered that cranes and ambulances be deployed round-the-clock on expressways and that toll plaza staff warn drivers about fog conditions through loudspeakers. Strict action has been directed against overspeeding during fog, the statement added.Highlighting welfare measures during the cold weather, the chief minister instructed that no person should be found sleeping in the open and that regular inspections be carried out.He directed officials to make adequate arrangements for the homeless, including sufficient provision of bonfires, heaters and blankets, and to ensure that night shelters are inspected continuously and managed properly.The statement said special care has also been ordered for cattle, with directions to ensure adequate protection from cold in gaushalas, including arrangements for bonfires.Officials have been instructed to provide all possible relief and assistance to the destitute and needy, and to escort homeless persons to night shelters wherever required.Meanwhile, the administration has issued a travel advisory to ensure safe movement during foggy conditions. The guidelines advise drivers to keep vehicle speed below prescribed limits, use fog lights and low-beam headlights, switch on emergency indicators, maintain adequate distance from vehicles ahead, avoid frequent lane changes and overtaking on expressways, and refrain from travelling if fog is extremely dense.Motorists have also been advised to install reflector tape on their vehicles, the statement said.This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.