Nagpur: The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie, invited the Nagpur Police Commissionerate to make a detailed presentation on its flagship road safety initiative, ‘Operation U-Turn’, as part of an in-service training programme for IAS officers and other Group ‘A’ Central and State Services officers.

The presentation was delivered on January 9, 2026, at the LBSNAA campus by Lohit Matani, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Nagpur, who elaborated on the city police’s structured, outcome-oriented and data-driven approach to road safety management.

During the session, Matani presented a comprehensive road safety profile of Nagpur district, covering urban traffic patterns, the rapid rise in vehicle population, road network characteristics and accident vulnerability. He highlighted that Nagpur, a fast-expanding city with high vehicle density and mixed traffic conditions, has consistently reported a high number of road accidents and fatalities over the years.

An analysis of accident data from the past five years helped identify high-risk corridors, black spots, peak accident hours and major causes of fatal crashes. These included over-speeding, drunken driving, signal violations, non-use of helmets and seat belts, and unsafe behaviour by vulnerable road users. Based on these findings, the concept of Operation U-Turn was conceptualised and implemented.

Operation U-Turn was designed as a data-backed, evidence-based road safety strategy with the primary objective of decisively reversing the trend of fatal road accidents. The initiative is rooted in the globally recognised ‘4E Road Safety Framework’—Engineering, Enforcement, Education and Emergency Care.

Under the Engineering component, accident-prone junctions and stretches were scientifically assessed, leading to improvements in road design, signage, lane markings, signal optimisation, barricading and pedestrian safety measures. These low-cost yet high-impact interventions played a crucial role in reducing both the likelihood and severity of accidents.

The Enforcement pillar focused on intelligence-led and highly visible traffic policing. Special drives based on accident causation analysis targeted over-speeding, drunken driving, helmet and seat belt compliance, wrong-side driving and signal jumping. Technology-enabled enforcement, continuous monitoring and accountability mechanisms ensured sustained pressure on habitual offenders, resulting in improved compliance.

Through the Education component, sustained public outreach campaigns were undertaken to bring about behavioural change. Targeted awareness programmes were conducted for school and college students, commercial vehicle drivers, two-wheeler riders and senior citizens. The importance of community participation, media collaboration and inter-institutional coordination in effectively spreading the road safety message was also emphasised.

The Emergency Care aspect focused on strengthening post-accident response systems. Enhanced coordination with emergency medical services helped reduce response times, while citizens were encouraged to assist victims under the Good Samaritan principles. Improved trauma care coordination significantly increased the chances of survival for accident victims.

As a result of this integrated and sustained approach, Nagpur recorded a significant 26% reduction in road accident fatalities in 2025 compared to 2024, marking a major turnaround after years of persistently high fatality rates. The presentation highlighted this achievement as a measurable public safety outcome made possible through leadership-driven policing, data analysis and coordinated execution.

The session generated keen interest among the participating IAS and Group ‘A’ officers. Discussions focused on replicating Operation U-Turn in other districts and urban centres, the importance of inter-departmental coordination, and the role of district leadership in institutionalising road safety as an administrative priority. LBSNAA faculty and officials lauded the Nagpur Police’s structured methodology and evidence-backed results, recognising Operation U-Turn as a best practice model in urban traffic and road safety management.

The Nagpur City Police reiterated their commitment to further strengthening and sustaining Operation U-Turn with the long-term vision of safer roads and zero preventable deaths, while also expressing readiness to share their experience with other districts and states in the larger interest of public safety.