Chandigarh, Jan. 26 -- Punjab has recorded a 48% decline in road accident fatalities following the establishment of the Sadak Surakhya Force (SSF), chief minister Bhagwant Mann said on Sunday. He attributed the success to a system focused on swift emergency response, immediate first aid, and enhanced trauma care. Once ranked among the top three states for road accident deaths, Punjab has significantly reversed the trend, with lives being saved through faster hospitalisation and improved treatment protocols, Mann said. Highlighting the impact of this intervention, Mann added that the SSF has been central to transforming accident-prone stretches, such as the notorious Sirhind-Patiala "killer road", and that the state has also supported the construction of 43,000 kilometres of high-quality roads. Mann said that several other states are now eager to replicate this model and "have contacted the Punjab government to implement this unique public safety initiative in their own regions". "The Prime Minister spoke about road safety in Mann Ki Baat, but Punjab showed the entire country a new path by creating the Sadak Surakhya Force," he said. "A specially trained, freshly recruited force of 1,597 personnel is acting as the backbone of the SSF and has been provided with 144 latest, fully equipped vehicles. Since its launch in February last year, this force has reduced road accident fatalities by 48 percent, besides ensuring the safe return of valuables and money belonging to people injured in road accidents," said Mann. "The force has been deployed along 4,200 kilometres of highways that are prone to traffic accidents. Apart from patrolling their assigned areas, the SSF also acts as a strong deterrent against traffic violations. None of the previous governments paid attention to such serious issues of public concern, due to which Punjab earlier figured among the top three states in road accident casualties." "Today, accident victims are receiving immediate first aid and proper treatment in hospitals. The Sirhind-Patiala road, which was once known as a killer road, with an average of three deaths every day, has now been transformed into a safer road," Mann added....