The Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation Shri Nitin Gadkari will launch the countrywide Free Eye Check-up Campaign and distribution of spectacles for truck drivers, cleaners and helpers on 2^nd October, 2017 at Panjari Toll Plaza, Nagpur Bypass, Nagpur in Maharashtra. The objective of this initiative is to ensure clearer vision and safe travel for truck drivers who are the most frequent users of national highways.

Eyesight is a basic requirement for safe driving. Poor vision increases the risk of collisions due to the driver’s inability to recognise and react in time to a hazard or the behaviour of other road users.  The NHAI has decided to launch a Free Eye Check-up Campaign and distribute spectacles for truck drivers, cleaners and helpers on the 2^nd October 2017, which will continue for 5 days i.e. till 6^th October. Free Eye Check-up Camps for drivers is one of the many innovative programmes undertaken by NHAI to ensure safe travel along national highways. This initiative is expected to reduce the number of accidents involving trucks and encourage regional staff and NGOs to set up such camps on regular basis.

The cleaners can also avail of this facility on the condition of producing a valid driving license. 50 free eye check-up camps will be set up on identified national highways on either side. The camps will be manned by eye specialist and support staff volunteers. Facilities like toilets and beverages vending machines, adequate space for parking of approximately 50 trucks, hand wash etc. shall be made available in these camps. One more component of these camps will be distribution of free spectacles up to a certain power as prescribed by the eye specialist. Any other defect like cataract will be identified and medicines will be prescribed. Non-governmental organizations, governments, social enterprises and private businesses are being roped in for facilitating the provision of these facilities.

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