NEW DELHI: India does not have a very good record on road accident front and registers the world’s highest deaths due to it at 1.5 lakh every year, the government informed Rajya Sabha.
Replying to supplementary queries during Question Hour, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said the government will soon implement a Rs 7,500-crore scheme with the help of the World Bank to address the problem and reduce accident-prone and black spots on national and state highways.
He sought the support of people in reducing accidents and saving precious lives.
Gadkari said it was unfortunate that 65 per cent of those dying every year were in the 18-45 age group.
“The government is very sensitive about this issue. We will soon implement a Rs 7,500-crore plan with the support of the World Bank across the country. We have urged the World Bank to implement this programme across the country.
“We will soon get cabinet approval on this scheme, which will help improve upon accident-prone and black spots on national highways and state roads,” he told the House.
The minister said the scheme has been implemented in Tamil Nadu with the help of the World Bank where 50 per cent reduction in accidents and deaths has been noted.
“This is a very unfortunate subject. As many people do not die in war or Covid. Every year 1.5 lakh people die, we are the highest in the world. We have to work on it,” Gadkari said.
The minister pitched for creating awareness, observance of rules, and improving road engineering and automobile engineering.
“We cannot work on this without the support of people and all including NGOs, educational institutions and people have to come forward in creating awareness about road accidents,” he said.
He said states such as Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh have helped reduce road accidents by around 50 per cent, while in places like Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Nagaland accidents have increased by 47 and 40 per cent respectively.
“The record of states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra is not good and needs to improve. Overall the country does not have a very good record,” he said.
Source: Press Trust of India