LUCKNOW, Dec. 18 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday issued strict instructions to senior officials to ensure public safety and effective traffic management in wake of the rising number of road accidents and pile ups caused by dense fog and severe cold conditions across Uttar Pradesh in the past five days, senior state government officials said. The chief minister directed divisional commissioners, inspectors general, district magistrates, police officials, traffic authorities and urban local bodies to remain on high alert and ensure proper management during periods of dense fog and poor visibility. He stressed that streetlights on roads, highways and in residential lanes must be checked continuously and repaired immediately if found defective. Dark spots prone to accidents are to be identified urgently and corrective measures taken without delay. He instructed the authorities to install reflectors on highways and major roads as per requirement to improve visibility for motorists. Officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and state highways were asked to coordinate closely and deploy teams on the ground to keep traffic arrangements functional, especially during early morning and late-night hours. To reduce accidents on expressways, the chief minister ordered enhanced patrolling, strict monitoring of speed limits and firm action against over-speeding during foggy conditions. He directed that traffic movement on expressways should be regulated during periods of extremely low visibility, with cranes and ambulances deployed round-the-clock to handle emergencies. Toll plazas have been instructed to use loudspeakers to warn drivers about fog conditions ahead. Emphasising public awareness, he appealed to commuters to strictly follow the travel advisories issued by the administration for safe journeys during fog. These include driving below prescribed speed limits, using fog lights and low-beam headlights, maintaining safe distance from vehicles ahead, avoiding frequent lane changes and overtaking, and refraining from travel when visibility is extremely poor. Simultaneously, the chief minister issued humanitarian directives to protect vulnerable sections during the cold wave. He instructed district administrations to ensure that no person is found sleeping in the open, and that homeless individuals are shifted to night shelters. Adequate arrangements of bonfires, heaters, blankets and warm facilities at rain baseras must be ensured, with strict action against negligence. Special care has also been ordered in cow shelters to protect cattle from the cold....