NEW DELHI, Dec 12: The Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in a candid admission on Thursday revealed his discomfort when representing India at international forums discussing road safety. “When I attend international conferences on road accidents, I try to hide my face,” Gadkari said during a debate in the Lok Sabha acknowledging the grim reality of rising road accident fatalities in the country.
Mr Gadkari, who had set an ambitious target of reducing accidents by 50% when he had first assumed office in 2014, conceded that the situation has worsened. “Forget about reducing the number of accidents; I have no hesitation to admit that it has increased,” he said while responding to a supplementary during the Question Hour in Parliament.
India witnesses a staggering 1.78 lakh road fatalities annually, with 60% of the victims aged between 18 and 34. Uttar Pradesh leads the state-wise death toll with over 23,000 fatalities, followed by Tamil Nadu (18,000), Maharashtra (15,000), and Madhya Pradesh (13,000). Among cities, Delhi tops the list with over 1,400 deaths, while Bengaluru and Jaipur report 915 and 850 fatalities, respectively.
Nitin Gadkari attributed the worsening situation to societal indifference, lack of adherence to traffic laws, and inadequate infrastructure. For things to improve, human behaviour must change, society must evolve, and the rule of law must be respected, he said.
Mr Gadkari mentioned specific issues, such as improper truck parking and poor lane discipline, as major contributors to accidents. The Transport Minister said he has mandated international safety standards in bus manufacturing, including equipping buses with hammers for emergency window-breaking.
He further informed the Lok Sabha, “Report by Niti Aayog and AIIMS mentioned that 30 per cent of the accident deaths were due to lack of emergency medical treatment. And that is why the scheme of cashless treatment was brought in. Under this, the vehicle insurance would cover the medical expense for 7 days, up to a maximum of Rs 1.5 lakh.”
Drawing on his personal experience, Mr Gadkari recalled a serious accident involving his family, which required prolonged hospitalisation. “By God’s grace, my family and I were saved. This experience fuels my resolve to improve road safety,” he said.
(Manas Dasgupta)
