Patiala, November 13
Patiala Foundation observed the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims at the Road Victims Memorial, opposite Polo Ground, Patiala, paying tribute to all those who have lost their lives in road crashes.
The programme brought together family members of road crash victims, volunteers and members of the SADAK Road Safety Team to remember those who lost their lives, acknowledge the grief of their families and renew the collective commitment towards safer roads. As part of the observance, volunteers also undertook a service activity for the maintenance and upkeep of the Road Victims Memorial.
Puneet Chahal, PPS, DSP Traffic, Patiala; Gurpreet Singh, SE, Municipal Corporation, Patiala; and Dr. Sumeet, President, PCMS Association, joined the gathering to commemorate the memory of road crash victims. Also present were Mr. H.S. Ahluwalia, Dr. Karan Dang, Ravinder Singh, Dr. Nidhi Sharma, Aadishwar Ahluwalia, Dr. Abhinandan Bassi, Mr. Satnam Singh, Aditya Jasrotia and Eekisha Ahluwalia, along with other members and volunteers of Patiala Foundation.
Puneet Chahal, PPS, DSP Traffic, Patiala, appreciated the efforts of Patiala Foundation under Project SADAK and commended its continued commitment towards promoting road safety, creating awareness and engaging communities in preventing road crashes. He acknowledged the importance of such initiatives in building greater public awareness and fostering a collective sense of responsibility towards safer roads.
Family members of Rajat Gupta and Dr. Rubal, both of whom lost their lives in road crashes, also joined the programme. Advocate Bhupinderjot Bhinder, who attended the programme in support of the road safety cause, emphasised that helping road crash victims is a matter of duty and collective responsibility. He also paid tribute to his father, whom he had lost in a road crash.
Addressing the gathering, Ravee Singh Ahluwalia, Chief Executive Officer, Patiala Foundation and Project SADAK, emphasised that road fatalities are not inevitable and that preventing them requires collective responsibility, safer road infrastructure and a stronger commitment to road safety.
“Behind every road fatality is a family whose life changes forever. We must move beyond treating road crashes as unfortunate incidents and recognise them as preventable tragedies. Road safety is not just about following traffic rules; it is about valuing human life. We need safer streets, responsible road behaviour and stronger measures to protect every road user. Patiala Foundation stands firmly with the global call for a 30 km/h speed limit on streets where people live, walk and interact. Our objective must be simple: no family should have to lose a loved one to a preventable road crash.”
The programme was organised under Project SADAK, Patiala Foundation’s dedicated road safety initiative, which works towards creating awareness, encouraging responsible road behaviour and strengthening community participation in road safety.
The Foundation reiterated that remembrance must translate into action. Every life lost on the road is a reminder of the shared responsibility of governments, institutions, communities and individual road users to make mobility safer for all.
About World Day of Remembrance
The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is observed every year on the third Sunday of November. It remembers those killed or seriously injured in road crashes around the world and recognises the grief and struggles of their families.
The day also provides an opportunity to recognise the contribution of emergency services and other life-saving personnel, advocate better support for victims and their families, strengthen accountability and promote effective action to prevent future road crashes.
The observance was initiated by RoadPeace in the United Kingdom in 1993. In 2005, the United Nations General Assembly formally recognised the third Sunday of November as the World Day of Remembrance through Resolution 60/5.
