Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has called for stringent measures to improve road safety, including making faulty road construction a non-bailable offense. Addressing an event organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Gadkari emphasised holding road contractors, concessionaires, and engineers accountable for accidents caused by poor construction and design.
Gadkari highlighted that India ranks first globally in road accidents, with over 500,000 incidents recorded in 2023, resulting in 1,72,000 fatalities. Of these, 66.4% (1,14,000) involved individuals aged 18-45, while 10,000 were children. Additionally, 55,000 deaths occurred due to the absence of helmets, and 30,000 were attributed to non-use of seat belts.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways aims to halve road accident fatalities by 2030. To this end, the government is investing Rs 400 billion to address black spots on highways. Gadkari urged industry stakeholders to collaborate with the government in setting up driver training and fitness centers to tackle the country's driver shortage.
As part of safety initiatives, Gadkari announced plans to equip trucks with driver fatigue and sleep-detection devices. "In other countries, drivers stop after eight hours of driving. Here, drivers often continue for 15-18 hours, which increases fatigue-related accidents," he said.
He also stressed the need to involve schoolchildren, from classes 5 to 11, in road safety campaigns, making them "road safety ambassadors." In the auto sector, Bharat NCAP Ratings have been introduced to ensure compliance with safety standards.
Gadkari advocated for improving Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) from a safety perspective and incentivizing safe driving. "Penalising violations is only part of the solution. Companies should study the Nagpur pilot project, where safe drivers are rewarded with discounts, coupons, and other incentives," he said.
Road Transport and Highways Secretary V Umashankar emphasised that road safety must become a mass movement. "Every accident point and black spot has its own story. We need to raise awareness at the district level to address these issues effectively," he stated.
The minister's recommendations signal a comprehensive approach to tackling road safety issues through accountability, innovation, and public engagement.
(New Indian Express)
