Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said that more people have died in road accidents in India than deaths due to war, insurgency and Naxalism. Speaking at the FICCI Road Safety Awards and Conclave 2024, he blamed poor detailed project reports (DPRs) for road projects for the rise in blackspots.
Gadkari said India witnesses 500,000 accidents every year, leading to 150,000 deaths and 300,000 injuries. This leads to a loss of 3 per cent of the country’s GDP. He argued that it is too common to blame the driver, saying, “Let me tell you, and I look closely – often, the road engineering is at fault.” To reduce the number of accidents, Gadkari stressed the need for safety audits of all highways and lane discipline.
Gadkari also said that “The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is preparing new codes for ambulances and their drivers so that the lives of the injured in road accidents can be saved. Currently, many ambulances lack these necessary equipment, which leads to a delay of up to three hours in rescuing the victims. IIT has been consulted to determine the necessary equipment, so that the victims of accidents can get the right treatment in time.”
Only buses with global standards will be approved:
According to Gadkari, from 2025, only buses meeting international safety standards will be allowed to ply on the roads. He said, “This decision has been taken to replace the old style used in the manufacturing of buses. Which often uses hammers, wooden planks and aluminum sheets.” He believes that this change will greatly improve the safety standards of public transport.
To further improve road safety measures, Gadkari proposed a collaboration in which the industry would take the help of engineering colleges and IITs to conduct road safety audits.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)