What happened on the way to Jamshedpur from Kolkota on 21 March 2014?

1. On the road to
Jamshedpur
21 March 2014

2. The statistics are mind-boggling. Every day, 169 people die on Indian roads – in city and on
highways – due to lack of speed control. Yes, a planeload. If other causes are added, several
planeloads of Indian lives are lost daily. So, the need for awareness of road safety to save
precious lives…

3. Indian Oil, the country’s leading oil marketing company, joined with several other leading
logistics and supply chain companies, to propagate and support the “Safer Roads. Safer Lives”
Initiative of KRK Foundation. Manoj Gupta, Chief Divisional Retail Sales Manager, Kolkota ,
flagged off the Kolkota-Jamshedpur road trip at a city retail outlet after a small but colourful
function.

4. IOC officials attending the function spelt out the company’s efforts in helping truck drivers on
highways – their core constituency as well – through driver rest room facilities across India.
Given the fact that driver fatigue due to inadequate highway amenities is also a major cause for
highway accidents, IOC’s desire and initiative towards road safety is timely.

5. The ride to Jamshedpur (approx.270 km), with Driver Sunil Prasad Yadav(Left), Bengali-speaking
Jharkhandi and Karmayog’s Senior Manager Pradipto Bhattacharya, a specialist in imparting
soft skills to drivers across India in a brand new Duster, generously lent by Krishna Kumar
Bansal of DHTC of Kolkota, a prominent transporter was a smooth but interesting affair.

6. The maiden halt was at the Indian Oil training facility centre situated on NH41 in Purba
Medinipur in West Bengal. Aloke Sadhukhan (Inset), Branch Manager of SRO-Hoglaberia
revealed that this facility once upon a time was a highway dhaba.

7. Over 25 truck drivers, halting at the IOC outlet to beat March heat on the way to their
respective destinations were roped in through the good offices of IOC – led by Sumanta Barua.
Safety first. It was disappointing to notice the lack of awareness of basic highway signages
among this group. But educating them was in full swing.

8. DARCL, leading logistics company, has
issued simple to understand and easy
to read “All About ABC… ALWAYS BE
CAREFUL” in Hindi and English. Drivers
were made to read loud and share with
those who can’t read/write.

9. No. They are NOT target practicising with an non-existing pistol! Under the masterly interactive
session on safety by Karmayog’s Pradipto, it was an engaging session for these drivers. Not
usual dull, boring classroom lectures or sermons.

10. You are WRONG if you think the session was all about road safety …. Blah… blah. One of the
key issues that KRK Foundation addresses is to help drivers to come out of low self esteem.
Dressing is an area that needs attention. Comparatively best dressed drivers were picked for
honours with ASDC (Automotive Skill Development Council) topis. In a way, touching upon
another core theme of improving personal hygiene. IOC officials hosted this segment.

11. Then the fun began… The youngest kalasi (wannabe driver!) was chosen to fill a balloon with
air. The audience egged on this kid and their junior-most colleague with a lot of claps and cat
calls till he burst it. Mind you, he took more than 3 minutes to complete the task. Then the
senior most driver in the audience honoured the junior most wannabe driver with an ASDC
cap.

12. The customary group photo at the end before they walked out with a food packet, courtesy
Indian Oil.

13. It is a fact of life in India that truck
drivers DON”T take seriously the need
to wear seat belts while driving.
Equally disconcerting is the fact that
they have a very LOW self esteem.
It is also true that rest of us TREAT
them shabbily.
Time for an attitudinal change.
At all levels.
That inlcudes YOU & I.
Miles to go….