Nitin Gadkari, the Road Transport Minister, has emphasized the urgent need for immediate and evidence-based measures to reduce road deaths in order to achieve the ambitious goal of zero road fatalities. Gadkari's concern comes in light of recent data that reveals a high number of road deaths in 100 districts across 15 states.
During a recent meeting with state transporters in Delhi, data was presented highlighting districts with alarming road death statistics from 2023 and 2024. Nasik-Rural, Pune-Rural, Patna, Ahmednagar, Purba Medinipur, Solapur-Rural, Muzaffarpur, Belagavi, Kanpur, and Bulandshahr were identified as districts requiring special attention. These 100 districts collectively recorded over 89,000 deaths in 2023 and 2024. The analysis further revealed that 53% of fatalities occurred between 3 pm and midnight, and 72% resulted from rear-end, head-on, and pedestrian crashes.
Gadkari highlighted successful interventions in districts like Nagpur, Unnao, and Kamrup, where targeted measures led to a reduction in fatalities. These examples demonstrate the potential for reducing road deaths through well-planned strategies.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has launched the 'Data Driven Hyperlocal Intervention (DDHI)' program to address the issue in 100 districts. This initiative recognizes that effective solutions require interventions at the district level, emphasizing data analysis for targeted action.
Gadkari's commitment to road safety is reflected in the ministry's efforts to strengthen the "4Es of Road Safety": Engineering, Enforcement, Education, and Emergency medical service. These efforts include improving road engineering, increasing public awareness, enhancing emergency services, and promoting medical insurance. The aim is to cut road crashes by 50% by 2030 and reach near-zero fatalities by 2047 through blackspot removal, AI-based enforcement, stronger vehicle safety standards, and faster emergency care.
Notably, Gadkari has set a target to reduce road accident deaths by 50% by 2030. Achieving this requires collaboration among all stakeholders to enhance road safety. The ministry is also focusing on identifying and rectifying black spots, with significant financial allocations for states and other stakeholders to remove these hazardous locations.
To achieve near-zero road fatalities, India must adopt the Safe System approach. This framework recognizes that humans make errors and ensures roads, vehicles, and services prevent errors from becoming fatal. It also means fixing blackspots fast, slowing traffic where needed, providing pedestrian zones, and improving vehicle safety. Additionally, smarter enforcement with AI cameras, fair penalties, and rapid golden hour care can greatly improve survival.
