Nagpur: Taking cognizance on rampant number of casualties in road accidents in India (highest in the world), the Government in association with World Bank is planning to implement schemes worth Rs 7,500 crore to reduce accident-prone areas and black spots on National and State Highways, informed Union Road Transport and Shipping Minister Nitin Gardakri in Rajya Sabha.
Gadkari said that National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has identified 3,750 black spots on National Highways and more such accident prone areas are being added to the list. “India has a poor record on road accidents. In fact, at 1.5 lakh deaths every year, India registers the world’s highest accidental deaths,” he said.
“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 accident-prone areas and black spots on national highways and state roads,” he told the Upper House.
Gadkari said 65 per cent of those who die every year in road accidents were in the 18-45 age group. He said the scheme has been implemented in Tamil Nadu with the help of the World Bank and there is already a 50 per cent reduction in accidents and deaths.
“This is a very unfortunate subject. As many people do not die in war or Covid. Every year 5 lakh people die, which is the highest in the world. We have to work on it,” Gadkari said. The Minister said there was a need for creating awareness, observance of rules, and improving road engineering and automobile engineering.