Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, speaking at the sixth FICCI Road Safety Awards and Conclave 2024, emphasized that road accidents in India have claimed more lives than wars, militancy, and Naxalism combined. Gadkari revealed that India sees around 5 lakh accidents and 1.5 lakh fatalities each year, with an additional 3 lakh individuals sustaining injuries annually.
Call for Comprehensive Safety Audits and Improved Road Engineering
Gadkari attributed the rising number of blackspots on roads to flawed detailed project reports (DPRs), urging the need for comprehensive safety audits across all highways. He stressed that poor road engineering, rather than driver error alone, is often responsible for accidents. “The current scenario results in a 3% loss to the country’s GDP. It’s not just about driver mistakes; inadequate road design plays a significant role in these accidents,” Gadkari remarked.
In light of the alarming rate of road accidents, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is drafting new codes for ambulances and their drivers. These codes will focus on training paramedics to operate advanced rescue tools like cutters, which are currently missing in many ambulances, causing rescue operations to be delayed by up to three hours. Gadkari noted that discussions with the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are ongoing to determine essential equipment and train paramedics accordingly.
Additionally, from 2025 onwards, only buses that meet international safety standards will be permitted on Indian roads. This initiative aims to phase out outdated manufacturing methods that rely on rudimentary techniques and materials. Gadkari also suggested that industries sponsor engineering colleges and IITs to conduct road safety audits, fostering collaboration between sectors to enhance road safety standards.
