The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has identified 789 black spots (accident-prone places) in National Highways and Expressways across the country and 12 of them are in Odisha.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari informed this to the Lok Sabha while responding to a question of Sundargarh MP Jual Oram on November 21.
Oram sought to know the details of the accident-prone National Highways (NHs) in different States, including those in Odisha, the reasons thereof and the total death tolls on each of such NHs during last year, besides the steps taken by the Government to make such NHs safe.
Gadkari replied that of the 789 black spots identified, 395 black spots have been rectified. While 510 black spots are under the jurisdiction of the NHAI, 150 black spots are under the jurisdiction of the State PWD (NH) and remaining 129 black spots are under State Governments. The NHAI has rectified 276 black spots under it.
Out of 150 black spots under the jurisdiction of PWD (NH), 119 have already been rectified, the Minister informed.
He told that 12 black spots are in Odisha and four of them have been rectified.
Gadkari further informed that while in 2016, 52,075 persons were killed in the NHs and Expressways, in 2017, 53,181 persons were killed and in 2018, a total of 54,046 were killed in these roads.
He cited several reasons to the mishaps including weather condition, animal crossing, defect in mechanical condition of motor vehicle and physical fatigue of drivers.