Lok Sabha Question No. 1637 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-28
Subject: Road Accident Deaths
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Sisir Kumar Adhikari, Rajmohan Unnithan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT & HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1637

ANSWERED ON 28 TH   NOVEMBER, 2019

## ROAD ACCIDENT DEATHS

## 1637. SHRI SISIR KUMAR ADHIKARI: SHRI RAJMOHAN UNNITHAN:

Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that road accident deaths have risen since 2015 in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether city bound highways are the most fatality/accident-prone routes;
- (c) if so, the details of worst city bound highways that reported such accident toll during the last five years; and
- (d) the measures taken/being taken by the Government to check and prevent road accidents on highways?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

- (a) The Ministry analyses the road accidents based on the data received from the Police Department of all State/UTs.  The latest data of road accidents published by the Ministry are for the calendar year 2018. The number of persons killed in road accidents in India during the period from 2015 to 2018 are as under:-
- (b) &    (c)      Based  on  the  road  accidents  data  received  from  the  police  Department  of  States/UTs,  the ministry also analyses it in terms of Urban and Rural area.  The total no. of road accidents and fatalities in Urban and Rural areas in the country during the last three years  are as under:-

|   Years | Number of persons killed in road accidents   |
|---------|----------------------------------------------|
|    2015 | 1,46,133                                     |
|    2016 | 1,50,785                                     |
|    2017 | 1,47,913                                     |
|    2018 | 1,51,417                                     |

| Road Accidents in Urban and Rural areas   | Road Accidents in Urban and Rural areas   |   2016 |   2017 |   2018 |
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|--------|--------|--------|
| Total accidents                           | Urban                                     | 216813 | 195723 | 190956 |
| Total accidents                           | Rural                                     | 263839 | 269187 | 276088 |
| Persons killed                            | Urban                                     |  57840 |  51334 |  51379 |
| Persons killed                            | Rural                                     |  92945 |  96579 | 100038 |

(d)      The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways is very much concerned about road safety in the country. The National Road Safety Policy outlines various policy measures such as promoting awareness,  establishing  road  safety  information  data  base,  encouraging  safer  road  infrastructure including application of intelligent transport norms enforcement of safety laws etc. The Ministry has formulated a multi-pronged strategy to  address the issue of road safety  based on Education, Engineering (both of roads and vehicles), Enforcement and Emergency Care. Further, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has constituted a Parliamentary Constituency Committee for Road Safety  in  each  district  of  the  country  to  promote  awareness  amongst  road  users  under  the chairmanship of Hon'ble Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) from the district.

The Ministry has constituted Group of Ministers of State Transport Ministers to examine the  best  practices  of  Transport  and  suggest  issues  to  improve  road  safety.  Based  on  the recommendation of Group of Ministers, the Ministry introduced and Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019 was passed by the Parliament which includes entire gamut of road safety.

In  addition  to  the  above,  the  initiatives  of  the  Ministry  to  promote  road  safety  are  listed  as below:-

- (i) Advocacy/Publicity  campaign  on  road  safety  through  the  electronic  media  and  print mediato create awareness.
- (ii) Issue of Guidelines for protection of Good Samaritans.
- (iii) Setting up of model driving training Institutes in States.
- (iv) Sanction of 24 Inspection and certification Centres for testing the fitness of the commercial vehicles through an automated system
- (v) Launch of mobile app for highway users i.e. 'SukhadYatra 1033' which enables highways users to report potholes and other safety hazards on National Highways including accidents.
- (vi) Observance  of  Road  Safety  Week  every  calendar  year  for  spreading  awareness  and strengthening road safety.
- (vii) Road safety has been made an integral part of road design at planning stage.
- (viii) The threshold for four laning of national highway has been reduced from 15,000 Passenger Car Units (PCUs) to 10,000 PCUs.
- (ix) Safety standards for automobiles have been improved.
- (x) High priority has been accorded to identification and rectification of black spots (accident prone spots) on national highways.
- (xi) Ministry has delegated powers to Regional Officers of MORTH for technical approval to the  detailed  estimates for  rectification  of  identified  Road  Accident  black  spots  for expediting the rectification process to ensure safety of road users.
- (xii) Guidelines for pedestrian facilities on National Highways for persons with disabilities have also been issued to all States / UTs.
- (xiii) A Certification Course for Road Safety Auditors has been commenced in Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE) and 42 Auditors are certified.
- (xiv) Removal of Liquor Shops as per directions of Hon'ble Supreme Court vide circular of   F. No. RW/NH-33044/309/2016/S&R dated 06-04-2017 and 01-06-2017.

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