Oct 1 : Following up on our session on Sep 10, we are very pleased to welcome the second batch of student Volunteers from St Meera’s PU College.  It is extremely heartening to see the response of these young, sincere children wanting to make a difference. Joining hands with our first batch, the team conducted the second Road Audit. We picked the Sai Baba Temple Road, and Cambridge Road in the vicinity of St Meeras which is of interest to the children.

This time, we were very happy to have Ms Anusha Jaishankar coach the team on how to conduct an audit and record the findings.  Anusha herself is an avid advocate of Road Safety. She runs Positive Strokes, an NGO which encourages good road behavior. And she also works with CoRPS (Concern for Road and Pedestrian Safety) which works in Road Safety.

The children noted various aspects : the traffic intensity – cars, two wheelers, buses, pedestrians; the state of the road and the footpaths; the signage on the street and its visibility; whether zebra crossings are required / visible; the factors creating challenges at the junction; the mix of shops, markets,offices, and public places like temples/hospitals that can affect the flow of traffic. And they came up with their suggestions for improvement.

Here is what Anusha had to say about the activity
“The road safety volunteers of The Arundhati Foundation were students or residents of Cambridge Road. Under the able guidance of Dr. Shubhangi, Mr. Sanjay, Mr. Vijay and Ms. Sandhya, fifteen volunteers spent the better part of a Saturday afternoon meticulously noting down ground realities on Cambridge Road and Sai Baba Temple Road using the CoRPS Road Safety Audit. This activity helps CoRPS star rate roads in Bangalore categorizing roads as unsafe, moderately safe and safe roads.

The expected outcome is two-fold. One, these young citizens start to notice road issues that they were otherwise turning a blind eye to, and knowing that they have the right to ask for change. Two, they realize that safety is their responsibility. To this end, it was heartening to see the volunteers take in problems and come up with possible ways to address these problems.”

Thank you dear Anusha for encouraging these young citizens. Thank you YSA and UL for helping the foundation help groom the young citizen of young India. After all as the demographic data shows, we are one of the youngest nation in the world! Youngsters are our greatest resource. If they are educated well, given solid values, and pointed in the right direction, I have no doubt that we can indeed be a nation of miracles and perform miracles.

Sep 6, 2016

Safer Roads, Safer India “Classrooms with a Cause” Program is focused on enhancing road safety in India and has been conceptualized by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and Youth Services America (YSA) together. TRAX is acting as the manager for the project.

Today, The Arundhati Foundation received a teaching grant under the aegis of this program to lead 25 volunteers below the age of 25 on a Road Safety Project. For a young foundation, it is an achievement and a moment of pride.

It has been exactly two years since the day Aru came home one last time before her accident..it’s a painful day. I would like to take this as a sign that Aru tells us that she is with us in spirit, guiding us on a mission of spreading awareness on Road safety .

Thank you, YSA and UL. Above all, Thank you, Aru.

The Arundhati Foundation is lucky to have so many well wishers. Today, I would like to Introduce Mr. Shanmugam to all of you.

Mr Shanmugam has a tailoring shop on Cambridge Road. He has donated five 25 litre empty water cans. We “modify” these water cans to make them into dustbins which we install on the roadside to collect dry waste. These cans draw inspiration from TERE BINS which we had installed as a part of launching of VIKRAM program last year. Unfortunately, the TERE BINS were stolen because these were re-enforced with metal rings and metal can be sold as scrap.

Mr Shanmugam can easily sell these empty cans for atleast rupees 50 a piece. Yet he chooses to give these cans to us so that we can use these to replace the TERE BINS. Contrast this behaviour with the well educated people working in offices in the commercial side of our building. These young folks not only smoke in public, but also throw burning cigarettes into these plastic bins. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to know that plastic burns. So each time a bin burns, Mr Shanmugam gives us a can.

Just goes to show that it is the attitude that matters and not just “education”
It also shows that one need not be rich an famous to support a good cause.

On behalf of the foundation we thank Mr Shanmugam for his generosity. It is people like you who make a difference!.

On 16 July, we did a session at Indo-US MIM, Dodaballapur.  It was extremely well organized.

Safety as a value is ingrained into the culture of the organization and they live it everyday on the shop floor. We urged them to extend the same to the roads.

We have reworked our presentation. A video from the Kolkata police has been added, the statistics are presented with more impactful graphics, the order of slides has been changed, and the presentation is more crisp now with the core message built around the 5 elements of the pledge.

We think it had some impact – and we were extremely touched by the gesture of the Indo-US MIM team who stood up and took the pledge along with us.

Thank you, Manoj Kabre (Vice President – Sales & Marketing at Indo-US MIM Tec Pvt. Ltd) – you have been a true friend of the Foundation, helping us spread the message.

And Thank you, Avinash, the designated Safety Officer,  for the efficient organization and the wonderful collage.

I had written a letter to the Hon Minister Shri Ramalinga Reddy with statistics, observations and suggestions regarding accidents pertaining to KSRTC and BMTC buses. I am grateful that the Hon Minister took time to go through it.

Sharing this reply with all friends of the foundation.

This letter was sent by the official concerned with the division which looks after accidents.
I am thankful to The Hon. Minister.
Thank you Sir

***

In continuation of your mail dated 25.05.2016 we deeply regret for the loss of invaluable life of your daughter at Vellore in a road accident on 9th September 2014. We are proud that a foundation has been started in the name of The Arundhathi Foundation (in memory of Dr Arundhati Sanjay Tambwekar).

​The following are the measures taken by KSRTC to prevent accidents and educate the crew.
a. Best vehicle maintenance practices are adopted to improve the safety aspects in operation of buses.
b. The selection process of drivers has been streamlined to ensure the selection of qualified and experienced drivers. Earlier the minimum qualification of drivers was 7th Std pass, whereas now, minimum qualification is 10th Pass.
c. The minimum age limit of drivers for the appointment in KSRTC has been raised from 21 to 24 years.
d. Electronic driver testing track is now used : extremely transparent system with more objective and no discursive, no role for manipulation, quicker than any other system. First of its kind in country. Driving test are video graphed.
e. The newly selected drivers are imparted necessary training about safe driving before sending them on schedule duties.
f. The drivers who have attained 40 years of age are made to undergo eye vision test once in every 2 years compulsorily.
g. Depots and line checking staff have been supplied with Breath-Analyzers to conduct surprise check on drivers.
h. Drug addict drivers are subjected to undergo de-addiction programme, which is a unique programme among State Transport Undertakings to avoid drunken driving.
i. To improve driving comfort buses are provided with ergonomically designed seats. To reduce driver-fatigue, power steering and synchromesh gearbox are being provided in the buses. The power steering avoids skidding of buses.
j. In mofussil services, the drivers with 5 years of accident and default free services are being awarded with Silver Medals and those with 15 years of accident and default free record are being awarded with Chief Minister’s Gold Medal, Cash reward and Cash Incentive every month.
k. For driver’s comforts upgraded crew rest rooms are provided at all the depots and major bus stands
l. For Night services & long distances routes are operated with fixed drivers and vehicles.
m. In order to refresh and to alert drivers between 01.00 am to 05.00 am for about 15-20 minitues rest is provided at 12 identified checkpoints in various sectors.
n. All type of vehicles are fitted the speed governor. Which are periodically checked by Divisional Mechanical Engineer.
o. Accident prone places are identified and same is displayed in the depots for the information of drivers.
p. The drivers found fully or partially responsible for fatal accidents are being placed under suspension immediately besides taking Disciplinary action.
q. The drivers with bad driving habits and accidents record are identified and deputed to the Drivers Training Institute for refresher courses regularly.
r. Action has been taken to display Emergency Exit signage’s inside the bus, the conductors have been advised to address the passengers about the usage of emergency door.
s. While booking crew for night service and long distance routes sufficient rest will be provided before sending them on next duty.
t. Only Senior skilled drivers who are imparted with rigorous training and qualified by Volvo Company are selected for operation of high end buses.
u. The Technical Staff maintaining Volvo buses have been well trained Volvo Company from time to time besides Volvo buses are maintained under supervision of Volvo Engineers.
v. Two fire Extinguishers are provided in Volvo buses for emergency fire hazards & the crew is trained to operate them
w. KSRTC buses are provided with emergency Doors/Exits for usage by passengers in case of emergency.
x. Information to the travelling public in Volvo buses regarding the operation of Emergency doors, First Aid Box, Roof Ventilator, Fire Extinguisher etc., which are provided in the bus. These information is also provided through video show at the beginning of the journey in the bus.
y. Banners are displayed in the major bus stations duly mentioned prohibiting carrying of explosives in the buses of the Corporation.
z. Road Safety day is be conducted once in every month.

I am pretty sure that each and every day in every city and town in India has at least one death in an accident. Sometimes a single day eats up the lives of many people. What is sad is that eighty percent of these deaths are totally preventable by the actions of people who drive these vehicles. Even the ones due to bad infrastructure like pot holes are preventable if the Govt, local bodies and public really care

It breaks my heart to read and see what is happening every single day. And everyday I re-live the death of my daughter.

In the horrific accident that happened on June 23, where eight young children died, three families lost both their children. The parents will most certainly go mad..I cannot begin to understand their pain.

This is a collective shame on us as a country and people. When is the govt going to bring in the road safety bill promised in 2014?

Yoga day is a great idea..When will we have the ‘ su yoga’ of having better roads? Better Road safety implementation ? When ? When?? When???

The above graphic is from The Hindu. To refer to the article in the paper, click here :
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/nearly-400-children-killed-in-road-accidents-in-state-last-year/article8762023.ece

JUNE 13, 2016

It was a pleasure to be of some help to the Ashoknagara Traffic Police.

A big Thank you to Mr Raju Naik for his sincere and earnest help rendered to all his colleagues. He was instrumental in seeing that 80 police personel got raincoats.

The simple , well organized and sincere gathering we had was so much in line with what Aru believed in..
It was a pleasure to interact with ACP CEntral Division Mr Nataraj and Inspector Mr. Mohd. Siraj. Mr Nataraj encouraged his troop to help accident victims even if it meant going beyond the call of duty. We would like to thank both of them for being around to encourage the personel and the foundation.

We will partner with the police station to see that the personel get a refreshers training in advanced first aid.
To Mala Shyam and Shyam Kokku, the twenty happy police personel you directly sponsored say a big Thank you..
Also Team @ Travel Zone OPH road Shivajinagar. Thank you for your help in sourcing the right kind of raincoats.

A couple of more pics here :