VARANASI, April 2 -- District magistrate Satyendra Kumar directed transport department officials to take strict action against habitual traffic violators, including suspension and, in severe cases, cancellation of driving licences. The DM issued the instructions while presiding over a meeting of the district road safety committee on Monday. Reviewing accident data from the Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD), the DM identified major accident hotspots and their underlying causes. According to the data, most accidents occur near petrol pumps, roadside restaurants (dhabas), intersections, underpasses, service lanes merging into main roads and other merging points. Expressing concern over petrol pumps operating along highways without proper service lanes, the DM instructed the NHAI and PWD to prepare a list of such petrol pumps and CNG stations and initiate action, including sealing those found violating norms. Instructions were also issued to make lists of nearby hospitals available in Dial-100 Police Response Vehicles (PRVs) and to expand coverage under the Rajveer Scheme. Focusing on school transport safety, the DM directed the ARTO to provide schools with a checklist of mandatory safety features, including speed governors, GPS tracking devices and seat belts, and to ensure full compliance. Authorities were also asked to prepare a comprehensive list of all vehicles transporting students, whether school-operated or private....